What I should also have added is that in addition to cases as below I have also supported a number of staff with significant health issues in relation to developing effective return to work strategies or re-deployment opportunities to help keep them in employment. Sometimes that is not possible and retirement on the grounds of ill-health is the only option which is in the interest of both employee and employer.

Another example: A young man employed as a health care worker. Repeated long and short term absences – latest was a period of 6 months off sick and was down to half pay, soon to go onto no pay. First impressions on meeting him – extremely frail, very under-weight and looked like a man more than twice his chronological age. In short he had a terminal illness.

 He was a very frightened, stressed and extremely ill young man. We both knew that he was unable to perform the requirements of his post and that this was not ever going to become a reality. I treated him in the same way I would hope someone would deal with one of my own friends or relatives - with empathy and compassion. We discussed, then initiated, retirement on the grounds of ill health and supported him through the process. He confirmed that retirement was a relief to him. It gave him time to put his finances in order, make provision for his partner and added a little quality to his remaining months.   This is the care we can give in OH. I still think of that client.

Anne


On 17/01/2014 13:14, "Palfreyman Pamela (EAST AND NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE NHS TRUST)" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Oh Anne, I rarely comment on jisc mail these day's due to capacity!!! but I felt  needed to say I whole heartedly agree with your comments :-) to me this should be the core of all OH services.
Regards
Pam
Pamela Palfreyman
Occupational Health Manager
Occupational Health Service
East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Ext:6514
Tel:  01438 286514
F: 01438 781510  
For general Occupational Health queries and referrals please email [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
SEQOHS
Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service
Cert No 0014  
                                                                                                

                 &


From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 17 January 2014 11:34
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] FW: Nurses face three-year competency checks - Telegraph

To add to the debate – I think it depends on what is meant by “care” and “compassion”. I, like Karen, care about the working conditions and health status of employees. However, we are employed to be impartial advisers to both employee and employer and therefore we are the only group of nurses that are not always “client/patient advocate”. The advice we give to a manager may not actually be in the interest of the employee. To illustrate: a client employed in the NHS his 20’s who has taken a large amount of repeated short term absence (55 days on 35 occasions) with no underlying significant health problem and who had not seen his GP re his various aches and pains. Absences occurred predominantly either side of his scheduled days off. He was referred for an OH opinion. I had no hesitation responding to his manager that in my opinion it was a management rather than a health issue. The employee probably thought I was an “uncaring” nurse. However, I view it from the perspective of:


I would hope that the manager would then start performance manageing this employee more effectively.

A public health pro-active approach to OH provision underpins my approach but I am not signed up to a tea and sympathy based service which is what I think Karen means when she refers to  “pink and fluffy”. I want to see hazards controlled and staff working in an environment which is safe and promotes health.

Anne

Anne Harriss
Course Director
LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY

On 17/01/2014 08:58, "Karen Coomer" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] <https://web.nhs.net/OWA/UrlBlockedError.aspx> > wrote:

Hi Lynda
As you know I have always had a concern about this in OH and put pen to paper a few years ago due to seeing some (in my view) OH practice that fell short of what I would consider is a care and compassionate approach. I think the problem is that sometimes there is a perception that care & compassion = fluffy OH service. Actually care and compassion can take many forms, I would consider that the research I am currently doing is based the fact that I care very much that low skilled workers often do not make pension age without significant health issues, so on the face of it not traditionally caring or compassionate but if it can demonstrate a change in the practice which helps people stay at work then it will worth all the work involved.
 
I wrote an article on this subject a few years ago, I attach it now for anyone interested.
 
Karen
 

From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] <https://web.nhs.net/OWA/UrlBlockedError.aspx>  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lynda Wright
Sent: 16 January 2014 22:53
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] <https://web.nhs.net/OWA/UrlBlockedError.aspx>
Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] FW: Nurses face three-year competency checks - Telegraph






http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10554500/Nurses-face-three-year-competency-checks.html



The role of Occupational Health  nurses in certain areas will have to change when this is introduced. Last year I was offered a position where they were emphatic it was not our role to care or have compassion. What do other think?



Happy New Year everyone



From

Lynda
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