----- Original Message -----From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">mchardyTo: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 6:03 PMSubject: Re: Stress & RiddorHiI haven't contributed to this list for a while, however, this has prompted me to! I am a Specialist OH Nurse but with an RMN qualification as well as RGN.This surely just shows the HSE's ignorance of how mal adaptive responses to stress can lead to physical and mental ill health! Maybe the RIDDOR team mean to say that stress is not on the Internationally recognised list of diagnosis (ICD), which it is not, however, other conditions such as anxiety states, acute reaction to stress leading to for e.g. to depressive or anxiety illnesses are all in the ICD.And what about the unresolved stress reactions creating a very physical state of illness?I am sure that many like me are continually fighting a losing battle in trying to raise awareness of mental health in the work place and try to reduce the stigma that is attached to it. This response from the HSE surely adds to this stigma?There, I've had my say!Maudie~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please remove this footer before replying.----- Original Message -----From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Aziz, BashyrTo: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 12:07 PMSubject: Stress & RiddorHello
I just picked this message up at another website. Any comments?
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I recently contacted the HSE to query whether stress-related illness or psychiatric injury could be construed as reportable under RIDDOR. I received the following reply:
"The following information has been provided by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) Operations Unit, Bootle.
Stress is not reportable at all, not even as an over 3 day injury, because it is a mental state."
However, I think most stress experts would find this reason untenable, as their is a general consensus that stress, and related psychiatric conditions, are *both* physical and mental. For example, i ) stress is often viewed as a physiological and neurological state, ii) stress has well-documented physical symptoms and effects. The NHS and Royal College of Psychiatrists, e.g., acknowledge that stress has physical as well as physical symptoms.
Just curious as to what others make of this. Do you think that stress can be classed as a mental state, as a opposed to a physical one, or do you think doing so is incorrect?
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Bashyr Aziz Telephone: 01902 518632
Senior Lecturer
School of Health - MH113
University of Wolverhampton
Molineux Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SBFor list archives and documents, go to http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html for list archives
For jobs in Occupational Health, go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/OHJobs/
For list archives and documents, go to http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html for list archives
For jobs in Occupational Health, go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/OHJobs/