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Read how Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust achieved Highly Commended in our OHPRAS with their Hub and Spoke OH Model, see the Network's consultation response to the delivery of...
Welcome to our November Bulletin
Dear Colleagues
How have we reached November already? This year is flying by……..
I suspect many of you are in full flow with your autumn booster programmes. I hope it is going well and staff are recognising the importance of protecting themselves in preparation for what is likely to be a tough winter. I am sure you are all looking at how best you can provide guidance and direction to your Trust to protect and support staff. This proactive approach is one where we can add real value to our organisations and continue the work we have undertaken during the pandemic.
The ‘Growing Occupational Health’ programme that we heard about at the conference continues – take note of the leadership programmes highlighted in item 1 of this bulletin and I am aware that the four pilot regions are meeting over the coming weeks to share their experiences and action plans. We look forward to hearing how this is going. If you still need to get familiar with this programme look on the website: GrowingOH - NHS Health at Work Network
I have personally been very aware in the last week that COVID has not gone away and have been supporting friends who have lost loved ones to this virus. Please stay safe and keep yourself protected as well as promoting protection for our workers during these winter months.
Best wishes
Hilary Winch
Chair, NHS Health at Work Network
In this edition:
- Funded OH Leadership Development Programmes
- MoHaWK
- Covid-19 Autumn and Winter Plan
- HSE Update
- NHS Health at Work Network Conference Presentations
- Movers and Shakers
- Covid-19 Workplace Vaccination Survey
- BOHS Covid-19 Risk Assessment
- Flexible Working
- Useful Resources
1. Coming Soon: Funded OH Leadership Development
NHS England and Improvement are delighted to announce a series of centrally-funded leadership development and service improvement programmes for NHS OH teams as part of the Growing OH Programme.
- Our website lists all of the OH leadership development and service improvement offers coming soon
- We encourage you to consider who is ready to apply in your team, and encourage them to prepare for the application process which will require a short personal statement on readiness
- The prospectus and full application links will be released soon, and various cohorts of all programmes/offers will begin in January, February and March 2022.
2. MoHaWK Update – Round 19: 2 Months Left to Submit Your Data
As per previous rounds we have left 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 and of course now flu. This process allows greater flexibility of when you submit data.
The next round will open in January so use these last couple of months to collate and get your data in accordingly.
Please find enclosed the briefing notes for Round 19 attached and also located on the MoHaWK website. If you have any specific queries then do make contact via hilary.winch@nnuh.nhs.uk
3. Covid-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan
The Government’s autumn and winter Covid-19 response plan is available here
4. HSE Update
HSE has updated its guidance pages on how to manage the risks to volunteers. The new guidance explains how health and safety law applies to volunteering and provides advice on carrying out risk assessments.
You can find illustrative examples of ways to manage the risks from specific activities. There is also new guidance on when to report incidents involving volunteers. For further information visit the website.
Controlling noise at work (L108): updated edition published
Many people are exposed to noise levels at work that may be harmful, leading to permanent and incurable hearing damage.
This third edition of Controlling Noise at Work (L108) is aimed at employers and other dutyholders. It includes the Control of Noise at Work Regulations alongside guidance on what they mean, setting out an employer’s legal obligations to control risks to workers’ health and safety from noise.
5. NHS Health at Work Network Conference Presentations
We had a fantastic NHS Network annual conference on the 14 and 15 September. 100% of respondents to our survey were very satisfied of satisfied with the event, and 100% said that would recommend it to a colleague! The full range of presentations are available on our website
6. Movers and Shakers
We are delighted to announce that Lizzie Wood has been appointed as the Yorkshire & Humber region representative on the NHS Health at Work Network Board. Lizzie is a Specialist OH Practitioner at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
7. Covid-19 Workplace Vaccination Policies: Share Your Views
The THIS Institute at the University of Cambridge is running a survey which gives you the opportunity to share your views on workplace policies for Covid-19 workplace vaccination policies. You can take the survey here
8. BOHS Covid-19 Risk Assessment
The British Occupational Hygiene Society is calling for an update to Covid-19 risk assessments in public facing settings. Read more here
9. Flexible Working
Government is proposing changes to allow workers to request flexible arrangements when they start a job. This blog by the Work Foundation explores what those changes could mean in practice.
10. Useful Resources
A recent study found that people on average are 5 pounds heavier after lockdown
The Health Security Agency have released their latest guidance on TB testing and potential interactions with Covid-19 vaccinations.
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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