Hello Sue
The contents of the "Black Report" held no real surprises for me.
These are my personal thoughts on your final comment about the future of
occupational health nursing as a specialty. OH practice is constantly
evolving and will continue to do so. Current NMC validated educational
programmes are now focused on public health with core material explored with
school nurses and health visitors.
Aspects of the role of the OHN may be curtailed due to the influence of
other practitioners. The development of return to work rehab strategies is
an important aspect of the role of an OHN. This is something in which we
should excel. The post office have successfully employed Occ Therapists to
enhance their rehab team. Some organisations now employ "case managers"
(presumably cheaper than employing a team of OHNs). These people may not be
health professionals, I have been told of ex-teachers and retired police
officers being thus employed. Case managers have training to undertake
information gathering and refer on where appropriate.
The Black Report further underlines to me the importance of OHNs honing
their skills in rehab strategies
Anyone else have any thoughts?
Anne Harriss
Course Director Occupational Health Nursing Courses
London South Bank University
On 1/4/08 09:25, "Susan Clarke" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Good Morning! Now I am worried and would welcome the reassurance of my
> colleagues. Yesterday, I, at last caught up with my journals reading and,
> of course ALL of the "Black" report. Suitably named methinks!
>
> However, I digress....Health & Safety at work April 2008 page 3 " Fitnotes
> to get GPs thinking inside the box on work capability". I am sadly
> disappointed in Dr Sayeed Khan ( EEF CMO) comments of support to the
> training for GPs in OH ( half day). In my view, this heralds the end of
> Occupational Health as a Speciality and a need. If a half days training on
> the rehabilitative value of work for patients is all that is needed for a
> GP to be qualified in OH to tick the boxes on the Fit note advising
> employers of fitness to return to work, then why did I spend three years
> studying for a BSc degree to do the same?
>
> Is this the old Nurse vs Doctor discussion raising its head in an entirely
> new light? no offence, please, to all the exceptional medically qualified
> persons that i work with; but I do have to ask this question. Is a half
> day training for a Doctor equivalent to three years training for a Nurse
> to be OH qualified? Am I paranoid or are we ( OH Specialists)
> being "squeezed" out?
>
> Furthermore, I have to ask myself whether any of my clients will continue
> with my Specialist service when with the new Fit note, all their questions
> are being answered ( or so they will think) in order to get an employee
> back to work?
>
> The list of questions includes: Is the patient able to carry out work
> sitting? Yes/No. That question alone does not cover the adjustments
> required for the employee returning to work post lumbar discectomy. It
> does not discuss the need for "time to carry out physio exercises" etc etc.
>
> Is any one else worried about their future in OH or, as I am approaching
> the grand old age of 50 on Friday, am I just paranoid?
>
> Regards, Sue
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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>
> OCC-HEALTH ARCHIVES:
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>
> CONFERENCES AND STUDY DAYS:
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH
>
> OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH JOBS
> http://OHJobs.drmaze.net
>
> OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING EDUCATION
> http://www.aohne.org.uk
>
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CONFERENCES AND STUDY DAYS:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH
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http://OHJobs.drmaze.net
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