With so many pc users would it not be worth considering some of the intranet
packages available which are personalised to companies. This means that the
training programme will have reference to the OH personnel, but allow each
individual user to do their own workstation assessment and understand more
about the risks and ergonomics - have a look at www.networktraining.co.uk .
Their product is being used by a number of reputable companies with OH
services (and I do work for them too!!)
This training does not replace eye tests but does ensure that each member of
staff has easy access to training and places to go for help and advice -
plus management have a record of those who have undergone training and the
quality of that training........ It does not tie staff up in expensive face
to face training that may only get to a limited number of employees.......
PS - Alan I too am just back from relaxing cruise!!!
Greta
Greta Thornbory
Education & Health Care Consultant
WWW.gtenterprises-uk.com
01235 770156 phone
01235 765797 fax
07778 518 027 mobile
----- Original Message -----
From: Southworth, Angela <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
Where I work I do two yearly training in groups for all DSE users going
through the potential problems, legal aspects and availability of eye
testing either through OH or the optician, also how to do a workstation
assessments - and who to contact should they have any difficulty -namely
myself.
-----Original Message-----
From: Swann, Alan B [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 March 2003 12:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
Providing ergonomic advice in the workplace is always preferable, but often
not practical. We have c.10,000 computer users here & 3.5 OHAs.
Keystone apparatus is good enough to screen for eyesight problems relevant
to DSE work. If any problem is identified, then specialist optician
assessment must follow.
Dr. Alan Swann, BM, AFOM
Director of Occupational Health
Occupational Health Service
Imperial College London
Southside building
South Kensington Campus
London
SW7 1 LU
Tel: +44 (20) 7594 9385
Fax: +44 (20) 7594 9407
http://www.ad.imperial.ac.uk/occ_health/
-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Savage [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 March 2003 11:25
To: 'Swann, Alan B'
Subject: RE: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
Im sorry but I disagree on one point.
Eye tests should be performed by qualified, appropriatley trained personnel
i.e. Opticians.
Health Education/Promotion relating to the workplace should be performed by
Occupational Health in the employees workplace - as eye tests which are
carried out by Occ Health tend to be in a clinic room - it can be difficult
to educate an employee about their own work station away from it!
Amanda Savage
Specialist Practitioner Occupational Health
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust
Tel: 0121 627 8286
[log in to unmask]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Swann, Alan B [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 03 March 2003 11:20
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> Can argue in favour of eye tests being done best by OH advisers. They
> give us an opportunity to educate computer users about the real risks of
> DSE work: poor personal work-station set-up and poor personal work
> organisation. Something we can advise on & have greater enthusiasm for
> than any optician!
>
> Dr. Alan Swann, BM, AFOM
> Director of Occupational Health
> Occupational Health Service
> Imperial College London
> Southside building
> South Kensington Campus
> London
> SW7 1 LU
> Tel: +44 (20) 7594 9385
> Fax: +44 (20) 7594 9407
> <http://www.ad.imperial.ac.uk/occ_health/>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lindsey Hall [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 19 February 2003 21:53
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> The policy may still exist in the Treasury but not with us. However we
> are what is termed a Non Departmental Public Body (Quango to some) so are
> not entirely dependent on the same systems. Even so it would still mean
> with your system that the glasses were paid for when required.
>
> By the way, I seem to be getting the old problem of duplicated messages.
> Is anyone else getting the same or am I just seeing double?
>
> Lindsey
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Greta Thornbory <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 8:50 PM
> Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> Interesting Linsdey - especially as I worked for the Cabinet Office and
> one of the departments I looked after was the Treasury - those hallowed
> halls all 13 miles of them! I seem to remember that on our (OHS)
> recommendation Establishment Officers and their departments organised the
> actual wherewithal. How they went about it was then not our problem.
> Places like Ordinance Survey and one or two other departments the actual
> EO staff did the Keystone Test -but referring to opticians was the
> favourite - the employee took a civil service form to the optician who
> completed it and then the employee returned it to the department for
> reimbursement where necessary up to the amount the Civil Service had
> agreed i.e. the cost of the test and the occupationally required
> prescription specs as indicated by the optician - which was in those days
> about £25. There was actually a civil service policy on this - has it
> gone?
>
> G
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Lindsey Hall <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 7:28 PM
> Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> I fully agree with your approach regarding the use of opticians instead of
> nurses. I have run with both systems in my time and a few years ago in
> another role could recite the keystone screens backwards in my sleep.
> The problem is more of a business issue as when the decision is taken to
> contract another organisations to provide such services, it falls to the
> OH team to run the contract - or atleast in my case it does. The
> Treasury states that Govt organisations cannot, unless there is absolutely
> no alternative, contract in voucher schemes so a new supplier needs to be
> found.
>
> It appears from a number of other replies, we are not alone.
>
> Thanks folks
>
> Lindsey
>
> Lindsey Hall
> National OH Manager
> Environment Agency
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Greta Thornbory <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 11:33 PM
> Subject: Re: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> Lindsey
> In 1900 and Lord knows when - several of us worked in the Civil Service Oh
> service and advocated that local opticians undertook eye tests instead of
> well qualified OH nurses rushing around like demented chickens doing what
> a well trained monkey could do. Now I am not sure of what you are asking
> -re this voucher system. All I can say is that the opticians are the
> experts on eye protection and eye care - given the appropriate information
> - will they receive the appropriate info to make an informed and
> professional choice and to give informed and appropriate advice. If this
> is the case - what is the problem?
>
> Greta
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Lindsey Hall <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 7:25 PM
> Subject: Providers of eyetests, DSE specs and safety specs
>
> For the last few years, we have used a major high street chain of
> opticians for the provision of eye tests and specs for DSE users and
> prescription safety glasses. They are going to move to a voucher scheme
> for prescription safety glasses in March and will do the same for DSE in
> the next few months. They will not allow our current invoicing system for
> safety after March and for DSE after Dec 03.
>
> As the management of this issue falls to me - for my sins - my problems
> are twofold:
> 1) According to our procurement dept, the Treasury do not allow schemes in
> Government organisations that require upfront payment, ie we can't go and
> spend hundreds of pounds on vouchers for which we may never realise the
> goods.
> 2) I struggle with voucher schemes as a sensible business option for such
> services in a multi site organisation. I can see the benefits in a one
> site operation where the vouchers would be controlled by one person and an
> assessment has been made that the admin time saved outweighs the cost of
> paying up front. However, we would have a minimum of 15 locations that
> would need to operate this.
>
> I would be particularly interested to hear from any organisations who
> might be having the same problem, paricularly Government organisations,
> other public sector or multisite.
>
> Thanks
>
> Lindsey Hall
> National OH Manager
> Environment Agency
>
>
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