Dear Colleagues

I’m not sure how we have reached December? What a Year it has been! As I reflect on this last year as an NHS OH Service Manager, it really has been one like none other. This time last year, COVID vaccinations were just being launched and if I’m honest I didn’t think this vaccine programme would still be taking up large proportions of my working day a year ahead… Maybe I was a little naïve!  Nationally, NHS OH has really been placed on the map over the last 12 months as a direct result of how we have all responded to the COVID pandemic.  We should feel proud of what we have achieved with limited resource.  

I hope you are excited about the NHSE/I ‘Growing Occupational Health Programme’ and how this will develop our profile as we progress into 2022. Please do take note of the fantastic funded OH Leadership courses available (see item 1) and make sure you sign up – opportunities are available for both current and future leaders for these fabulous education offerings available to us over this next year. 

Over the last year the Network has represented NHS OH in a variety of settings (NHSE/I, SEQOHS, Council for Work & Health, NHS Employers) and will continue to do so throughout 2022. We all face the unknown territory and challenge of ‘Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment’ as we start the New Year, but as a network of services and practitioners we will learn from each other as we share examples of how this work is progressing across regions. 

On behalf of the Network Board, I really do want to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year.  I hope you all get some precious time with those that you love.  After a very difficult 12 months, our family and social connections are no longer taken for granted and very much valued. 

Best wishes

Hilary Winch

Chair, NHS Health at Work Network

In this edition:

1. Funded OH Leadership Development Programmes
2. Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment in the NHS 
3. Relaunched: Health and Wellbeing Framework
4. Healthcare Workers Living with BBVs – Updated Guidance for OH
5. Congratulations Kelly
6. MoHaWK
7. Member Benefit: £200 off CBT Certificate for OH Professionals
8. Participate to a Covid Research Project
9. Ask A Question: CQC Registration for OH
10. Useful Resources

1.    Funded OH Leadership Development Programmes for NHS Colleagues

The Growing OH Team are pleased to announce a range of funded development opportunities for our NHS OH leaders and practitioners.

The prospectus provides an overview of all the leadership and service improvement development opportunities for NHS employed OH people (and those working closely with OH) that are fully funded by NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI).

Before applying, all applicants are encouraged to ensure that they have agreement from their employer to commit to all aspects of the programme. Full engagement and attendance is essential to maximise impact and evaluation, which will help NHSEI to make the case for continued funding of these offers in the future. In return for a fully funded place on a programme, NHSEI are seeking OH practitioners and leaders to rise to the challenge of supporting the improvement initiatives as part of the Growing OH programme – collaboratively and as a community of practice.

2.    Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment in the NHS

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has formally announced (9 November) that NHS staff in England with patient contact must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by no later than 1 April 2022 to protect patients, regardless of their employer, including secondary and primary care. 

The government regulations are expected to come into effect from 1 April 2022, subject to parliamentary process.  This means that unvaccinated individuals will need to have had their first dose by 3 February 2022, in order to have received their second dose by the 1 April 2022 deadline. 

This government policy takes into account specific exemptions, including those who are medically exempt; under 18 years of age; do not have contact with patients; or are a participant in a clinical trial investigating COVID-19 vaccination. 

The Network’s own statement is available here

3.    Relaunched: Health and Wellbeing Framework

The 2021 evolved edition of the HWB framework has now been formally published!  The new Health and Wellbeing Framework model and toolkit is designed to help NHS organisations to create a wellbeing culture. This is an essential toolkit for organisations wanting to make cultural changes to the health and wellbeing of their NHS People.

A formal Launch Event is planned for January.  

https://www.events.england.nhs.uk/events/health-and-wellbeing-framework-launch-event

This launch event will share the newly evolved framework, its tools and resources and the seven elements of creating a wellbeing culture.

4.    Healthcare Workers Living with BBVs – Updated Guidance for OH

We are pleased to inform you that an update to the Integrated guidance on health clearance of healthcare workers and the management of healthcare workers living with bloodborne viruses (hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV), has now been published on the UKAP webpage here. 

The main updates are:

•            changing the monitoring interval from every 12 months to every 6 months for HCWs living with hepatitis B who have a HBV viral load below 200 IU/mL and are not on antiviral treatment

•            changing the monitoring interval from every 3 months to every 6 months for HCWs living with hepatitis B who are on antiviral treatment

•            changing the requirements for resumption of EPPs in those who have ceased hepatitis B treatment, from one test at the end of the 12 month EPP restriction period, to 2 tests 6 months apart, the first being no less than 6 months after ceasing treatment

Any queries should be directed to ukap@phe.gov.uk

5.    Congratulations Kelly

Kelly McClenaghan has been appointed as the Network Board representative for the East of England region.  Kelly is the Associate Director of Occupational Health and Wellbeing at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.  Congratulations Kelly!

6.    MoHaWK – Round 20 is on its way! 

Round 19 will be closed on 31^st December and then Round 20 opens on 1st January 2022 for data input.  As per previous rounds we will leave this open until the commencement of the following round as this appears to have worked well for many Services who are still balancing work demands associated with the pandemic. This process allows greater flexibility for when you can submit data.

Find enclosed the briefing notes for Round 20. If you have any specific queries then do make contact via hilary.winch@nnuh.nhs.uk

7.    Network Member Benefit: £200 off Certificate in CBT Skills

The At Work Partnership is delighted to offer NHS Health at Work Network Members a discount of £200 + VAT for places on their Certificate in CBT Skills for OH professionals. This five-day course is designed to train OH practitioners, and allied health professionals, in the effective delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) skills and techniques.  This highly practical qualification will equip you with the skills and understanding to apply CBT to the workplace management of common mental health problems, in order to increase staff retention and promote return to work from long-term sickness absence in a cost-effective way.

This virtual course runs in two parts as follows:

Part One: 9-11 March 2022
Part Two: 28-29 April 2022

Book and pay by 15 January 2022 to qualify for the early bird rates.  To book or for more information visit: https://ohaw.co/CBT2022

8.    Invitation to Participate in a Major Research Project 

NHS Health at Work Network Members are invited to participate in a study exploring the practical challenges and impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on the continued development and delivery of work and health research during the pandemic period.  The study is a collaboration between Bath Spa University, King’s College London, Nottingham Trent University, University of Glasgow and our Network Members at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

The study is also an opportunity to consider the potential research priorities for work and health research which are likely to follow in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the changing landscape of work and work practices. 

The study team are inviting researchers who are involved in the development and delivery of work and health research in the United Kingdom and who work in various organisations such as universities, the National Health Service, funding bodies, and sectors including the private, public (non-NHS), and voluntary sectors (health charities). 

Your responses to the survey will be pooled with that of other respondents and the results will be published in a peer-review journal and possibly presented at an occupational health conference at a later date.

We would value your feedback. If you would like to contribute then please follow this link

The deadline for responses is 9 January 2022.

9.    Ask A Question

Our most recent Ask A Question around CQC registration for OH physiotherapy and counselling caused some debate!  It was confirmed that Occupational health schemes (that do not involve treatment requiring admission to hospital) organised through an employer, where these are for the benefit of the employee only, are exempt.  Read more here.

10. Useful Resources

The ‘Stress and the Impact in the Workplace’ event hosted by the NHS Employer’s Health Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group and the HSE was recorded and is available here

NICE guideline on Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management has now been published on the NICE website

‘Attracting, supporting and retaining a diverse NHS workforce’ – a research report commissioned and supported by NHS Employers and the Nuffield Trust is available here

In a blog for NHS Providers, Ellie Orton, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, discusses how an ongoing bedrock of public support for the NHS means all trusts and health boards could benefit from working with their own NHS charity – with the benefits going beyond the financial.

The Society of Occupational Medicine has a range of ‘Leadership Webinars’ – recording and slides, available here

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The NHS Health at Work Network brings together all OH teams providing health and wellbeing services to NHS OH staff.  It is dedicated to providing consistent, high quality health at work services to all NHS staff through collaborative working.

Members of OH teams in NHS Health at Work Network member organisations can receive the bulletin and access the restricted areas of the website as a membership benefit – if you are not sure of your login details email admin@nhshealthatwork.co.uk   

Please share this bulletin with colleagues and encourage them to register to receive it regularly.  Non-Network members can also register to receive the monthly bulletin here.

You can contact the Network through your regional representative or as shown below.  Please get in touch if you have any queries or comments, if there is anything you would like to see in future issues of the bulletin, or if you have news to share.

Hilary Winch, Chair                                                 hilary.winch@nnuh.nhs.uk

Andrew Gilbey, Network Manager                       admin@nhshealthatwork.co.uk  

Postal address: NHS Health at Work, PO Box 857, York YO31 6FR