Guest blog by Maria Paviour, Occupational Psychologist I've been randomly selected for a CPD audit by the HCPC. My first reaction was classic: “Oh great. Why this year? It’s been such a difficult one already - and now this on top!” It felt like one of those overwhelming moments. But, after a couple…
Guest blog by Dr Sanjay Kumar "Once you can do occupational health in the police sector, you can practise occupational health anywhere!" It was these words - uttered by my mentor - that started me on the path to a fascinating and rewarding career in police occupational health. I remember that day…
Guest blog by Richmond Stace, Specialist Pain Physiotherapist & Multidisciplinary Pain Coach This blog explores how we can better support people living with chronic pain - whether they are at work or preparing to return. It is a follow-up to Understand Pain: A New Perspective for Occupational Health…
Guest blog by Janet O'Neill, Deputy Head, National School of Occupational Health At the SOM Quarry Bank Mill workplace visit we were all taken back to an early focus on workforce wellbeing, foresighted compared to most others at the time. During the Industrial Revolution, there were no regulations…
Guest blog by Dr Nupur Yogarajah Why do we do the things we do? That sounds basic, but this human behaviour was not met by my medical degree. Practicing as a GP and developing long-term therapeutic relationships with my patients started to answer this, but not entirely. To answer it, I completed the…
Guest blog by Richmond Stace, Specialist Pain Physiotherapist & Multidisciplinary Pain Coach Chronic pain is the number one global health burden. It affects more people than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined. Yet, it remains poorly understood across much of society, including in…
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Guest blog by Victoria Howell My menopause journey was that of many women; I had no idea what was happening, my confidence dipped dramatically, and I felt so alone, despite being surrounded by a loving family. When I faced redundancy, I saw it as an opportunity to train in menopause - I did not want…
By Dr Lara Shemtob, SOM Honorary Policy Adviser Welfare reforms for people unable to work due to long-term ill health were announced last week by the UK government , and featured in the Spring Statement. Spending cuts of of £4.8 billion are predicted in 2029/2030 (£3.4 billion overall once £1.4…
Guest blog by Jamie Sidaway, Head of Operations, Health 2 Employment The Lancashire and Cumbria SME occupational health (OH) pilot aimed to encourage Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to access OH services by offering up to 80% funding support for assessments, with businesses contributing…
Guest blog by Corryn Brown Ahead of tomorrow's SOM/CIPD parliamentary reception on 'Helping women thrive in work: making women's and reproductive health a key priority', this blog by Corryn Brown explores the experiences of new mothers in the workplace, drawing on the findings of her MSc research at…
Dr Lara Shemtob, SOM Honorary Policy Adviser, introduces new SOM guidance: The relationship between work and health has never been more relevant to the UK population. The number of working age people who are economically inactive due to ill health is approaching three million. Meanwhile, the…
By Dr Lara Shemtob The Health Foundation’s Final Report of the Commission for Healthier Working Lives was published on Monday offering a compelling examination of the challenges faced by individuals with long-term health conditions in the workplace. The report, alongside videos shared at the launch…