Occupational Health (OH) is an independent service who providesconfidential advice and support to help you be safe and well at work. We like to think the emphasis is on prevention rather than dealing with a situation when it has happened.
OH Professionals deal with the effects of work on health and the effects of health on the capacity to work. Taking care of our health is vital to every individual and to patients, colleagues and the Trust.
Pre Employment Assessment
If you have a pre-existing health condition or disability, when you have been offered the post, your manager may request an occupational health opinion to advise on reasonable adjustment or fitness to perform all or part of the post. We will ensure that you have information on how to keep yourself safe by altering the way you work, or ensuring that we have made a suitable assessment to make the environment safe. There are always instances where you may have had problems in another work environment; this does not mean that we will stop you getting the job, it just means we have to make an assessment of how to keep you, the patients and colleagues safe.
Safety Critical Post
You may require a pre employment assessment if your job involves driving, exposure to specific work place hazards such as noise, respiratory sensiters etc or blood and or body fluids. You will be informed by your manager or Human Resources if this is required.
Immunisation and Vaccinations
When you have your start date we will probably want to see you to do an immunisation check. This is to ensure that you are protected against communicable disease and that you do not infect patients. It is usual to consider Hepatitis B, TB, Chickenpox, Mumps, Measles and Rubella, Diphtheria, Polio and Tetanus depending on where you work.
You must attend for this check, regardless of your role, unless we have satisfactory information from a previous employer about your immunity status.
Health Surveillance
There are some jobs which expose people to substances which may affect their health and although control measures and personal protective equipment must be in place, it is sometimes necessary to perform periodic medical assessment. OH will be in contact with your manager to ensure that a programme is in place.
Latex Allergy
If you are exposed to latex in your work environment and you develop symptoms such as localised or generalised rash, inflammation of the soft mucous membranes of the inner lining of the nose, red and swollen eyes or asthma like symptoms you must contact OH for advice.
Skin
If you develop skin sensitivity rash, dry cracked skin you must inform your manager and contact Occupational Health. For advice on how to look after your skin see the workplace wellbeing Website on DCHS Staff Zone.
Management referrals
It may be necessary from time to time for your manager to refer you to OH. This may be because you have been off sick for a period of time or you have had a debilitating condition or it has been noted that there has been deterioration in your health or personal work practices and your manager wants to know if you are well enough to be at work or return to work. Please do not consider this as a threat or judgement. OH are not a management tool, we are there to help you. The service is entirely confidential and you will know what recommendations are given to the manager.
Self Referral
You may want to talk to someone about your health or how you are feeling at work or maybe you have a problem at home which is affecting work. If you have musculoskeletal pain, skin problems or any condition you think may be caused by or are affecting your work practices. Please make an appointment; OH professionals are here to listen and offer advice in a totally confidential environment.
Rehabilitation
If you have been off work due to injury or illness, we may be able to advise where to get appropriate treatment or how you can return to work in a safe and sustainable way. Consideration may be given to phased return to work programmes, job modifications etc. If in doubt give us a ring.
Musculoskeltal health
If you have an injury or have musculoskeletal pain we want to ensure that you are getting access to treatment please contact us if you require advice.
Workplace Assessments
If you have a health problem related to work and think it may be due to how you are doing your job, your furniture or equipment, don’t wait till you are in agony,tell your manager, do a self assessment using the DSE Self assessment form and ring us for advice. If necessary someone can come and have a look at your work environment.
Work place Wellbeing
The Health and wellbeing of our staff is of vital importance. Our Workplace Wellbeing Strategy seeks to ensure we are a healthy organisation, in which staff can achieve the best possible state of health and wellbeing. We aim for our workforce to be at their best, to be energised, motivated and committed to their work. A happy workforce is a healthy workforce. If you feel valued and involved at work then the quality of our patient care also benefits.
Our Workplace wellbeing group uses a multidisciplinary team approach including Management, Human Resources and Occupational Health to look in-depth at how to improve policies and promote initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of all our staff. We aim to:
listen to what you say and act upon what makes employees feel valued and involved.
Enable you to make healthy choices.
Support youreturning to work after illness, accident or any period of absence.
Create a healthy working environment for everybody.
Resolve staff support services are now available across the county and include counselling, mediation, incident support, psychological therapies and team development.
Derbyshire County PCT strives to be a mindful employer and in line with this role several initiatives have been launched such as the Cycle to Work scheme, which provides discounts off new bikes for people cycling to work. There is a list of concessions for staff at fitness centres across the county and we have a partnership scheme with ACTIVE Derbyshire to help promote physical activity.
See the Workplace Wellbeing Webpage on the DCHS website Staff Zone
Blood Contamination Incidents
If you have been involved in an incident where you have been contaminated with blood or blood stained body fluids, sustained a sharps injury, been bitten etc. you must follow this procedure:
- If injured, encourage the wound to bleed
- Wash well with soap and water and cover the wound with a first aid dressing.
- If splashed, immediately irrigate contaminated area. Wash well with soap and water. If eyes or mouth affected irrigate for at least 10 minutes
- Inform your manager or the person in charge
- Contact Occupational Health Monday-Friday 08.30-17.00. Outside these hours contact accident and Emergency, but contact Occupational health as soon as we are open for ongoing management of the incident
- Complete an incident form (RM2)
When contacting OH or A&E you will need to know:
- When and how the incident happened
- The source patient’s name and date of birth
- Who can be contacted for further information about the source patient e.g. Senior Nurse, GP, Consultant
- You should know your Hepatitis B status
Contact us on:Occupational Health Department
Stubley Medical Centre
Stubley Drive
Dronfield Woodhouse
Derbyshire
S18 8QY
Telephone: 01246 299910
December 2010 KD