Programme
- Day One
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Wednesday 10 June 2026
- 08.55
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Registration
- 09.00
-
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician
- 09.10
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UNDERSTANDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ITS IMPACT ON WORK
Dr Paul Litchfield, independent chief medical adviser, ITV and Compass Group
- What do we mean by mental health?
- The key drivers of wellbeing
- The relationship with business performance
- How to “sell” the case for mental health promotion into a business
- 10.25
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Coffee
- 10.40
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EVIDENCE REVIEW OF WORKPLACE INTERVENTIONS
Dr John Ballard, Occupational Health [at Work] journal
- Prevalence of mental health problems
- Effect of COVID-19 on mental health
- Evidence review – what works in:
- The prevention of mental health problems at work
- Recovery, absence and return to work
- What to avoid – what doesn’t work?
- 11.45
-
DEVISING A WORKPLACE STRATEGY
Dr Paul Litchfield, independent chief medical adviser, ITV and Compass Group
- The changing world of work
- Why the H&S approach doesn’t work
- ‘Mental health policies’ – how effective are they?
- Embracing the new paradigm
- Good practice
- Evaluation and reporting
- 12.45
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Q&A
Your chance to put your questions to our expert speakers, Dr Paul Litchfield, Dr John Ballard and Dr Nerys Williams - 13.00
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Lunch
- 14.00
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RISK ASSESSMENT
Dr Jo Rick, chartered occupational psychologist, Health and Safety Executive
- HSE stress management standards
- Evidence base
- Using the standards at organisation and individual level
- Does hybrid working make a difference?
- Case studies – using the standards in practice
- HSE stress management standards
- 14.45
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INTRODUCTION TO THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL
Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician
- 15.15
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Tea
- 15.30
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ENSURING LEGAL COMPLIANCE
Prof Diana Kloss, barrister
Outline of relevant law, including:
- Consent and confidentiality
- Mental capacity
- Employer’s duty of care to prevent psychiatric injury: criminal and civil liability
- Fitness for work, pre-employment and in employment
- Disability discrimination and mental impairment
- Fitness to attend a disciplinary meeting
(This session covers UK law, and in particular, the law of England of Wales)
- 16.55
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Final questions
- 17.00
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Close of day one
***********************
- Day 2
-
Thursday 11 June 2026
- 8.55
-
Registration
- 9.00
-
HOW SHOULD OH PROFESSIONALS APPROACH CASES?
Dr Peter McAllister, psychiatrist
A look at the common cases that may present at work – and how OH should respond to them. Issues to be covered include:
- What questions should OH be asking?
- Warning signs and red flags
- Assessing impairment – tools and questionnaires
- Medication and/or psychological therapy – implications for ongoing employment or return to work
- Understanding patterns of recovery
- Timings for return to work
- Likelihood of recurrence
- Managing self-harm and suicide
- Liaison with specialists and when to refer on
The session will focus on the following conditions:
- Common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder
- Medically unexplained symptoms/syndromes
- Co-morbidity
(includes a coffee break)
- 13.00
-
Lunch
- 14.00
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COURSE ASSIGNMENT
- 14.20
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REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS
Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician
- Aims and evidence base for adjustments
- Review, timescales and when to stop
- Agreement and role of clients
- Getting buy-in from line managers
- 15.00
-
Tea
- 15.20
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THE OH CONSULTATION: BEST PRACTICE
Dr Sally Coomber, consultant occupational physician, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- The management referral
- The consultation itself – including consent and a mental state examination
- Taking notes
- Discussing appropriate disclosure of condition to manager
- Risk of suicide – appropriate response
- Where a danger to others is suspected
- 16.35
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Final questions
- 16.45
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Close of day two
***********************
- Day 3
-
Friday 12 June 2026
- 8.55
-
Registration
- 9.00
-
ASSESSING FITNESS FOR WORK
Dr Samantha Phillips, head of health and wellbeing, Transport for London
- Psychosocial considerations
- Screening questionnaires and other tools
- Safety-critical roles
- Medication
- Liaising with the GP/specialist
- When to refer on
- 10.05
-
ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE – ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSE
Dr Samantha Phillips, head of health and wellbeing, Transport for London
- Substance misuse policies
- Testing in the workplace
- Advising on fitness for work
- 10.45
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Coffee
- 11.00
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ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE – SUPPORTING THE INDIVIDUAL
Annika Lindberg, chartered counselling psychologist
- Understanding substance addiction
- Recognising the signs of alcohol and/or substance misuse
- Screening tools for use in OH
- Advice to managers (including when to refer on)
- Handling difficult conversations
- Intervention principles and outcomes
- 11.55
-
RESPONDING TO TRAUMA
Paul Anthony, consultant cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, Working Minds UK
- Reactions to trauma – the risk factors
- PTSD and other conditions explained
- Can PTSD be prevented?
- What works?
- OH and organisational responses
- 13.10
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Lunch
- 14.10
-
ADHD AND AUTISM IN THE WORKPLACE
Prof Marios Adamo, consultant psychiatrist in neurodevelopmental psychiatry and Dr Tim Fullen, consultant clinical psychologist, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- How to manage these conditions at work
- 15.10
-
Tea
- 15.30
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KEEPING PEOPLE WORKING PRODUCTIVELY AND ENSURING SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO WORK
Dr Sally Coomber, consultant occupational physician, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- Creating effective return-to-work plans
- Preparing the report for management
- Appropriate and effective reasonable adjustments including phased return to work; temporary adjustment of duties; working hours or patterns – impact of medication; flexible working; working from home; support with workload/from others
- Wellness and Recovery Action Plans and early warning signs (the ‘relapse signature’)
- 16.15
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SUMMARY OF LEARNING AND FURTHER USEFUL RESOURCES
Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician
- 16.25
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Final questions, and queries on the assignment
- 16.30
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Close of course
Benefits of attending
How will gaining this qualification benefit you and your organisation?
You will gain:
- A comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of different strategies/interventions that organisations can adopt – so that you can review what will work in your workplace
- Detailed knowledge and practical skills to manage specific cases including an in-depth understanding of different conditions
- The ability to assess the severity of a condition and its impact on a person’s job – so that you can recommend the best interventions to put in place for a particular case
- Enhanced skills and knowledge to use during OH consultations and in giving advice to managers
- In-depth understanding of reasonable adjustments in practice
- Advice on tools, resources and action plans
- Guidance on the relevant law
Gaining this qualification will help you to employ the right strategies and interventions to successfully manage mental health in your workplace and create a more engaged and productive workforce.
Who is the course designed for?
The course is designed for OH professionals. Other professionals with responsibility for OH and/or the mental health of employees may also benefit from attending.
We welcome delegates from all over the world (although, please note if you are from overseas, that the legal session on the first day covers UK law, and in particular, the law of England of Wales).
Assignment and certification
Delegates must attend at least 80% of the course. Following the course, students who successfully complete an assignment, demonstrating their understanding of the theory and skills taught in the course, will be awarded the Certificate in Managing Mental Health at Work.
About our expert tutors
Dr Nerys Williams – course director – Nerys is a specialist in occupational medicine and has worked in public and private sector occupational health roles for over 20 years. She is a former deputy director of health and wellbeing at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Dr Paul Litchfield CBE – Paul has practised occupational medicine for 40 years and is currently independent chief medical adviser to both ITV and Compass Group.
Dr John Ballard – John has been researching and writing on OH and disability issues for over 25 years. He edits the Occupational Health [at Work] journal.
Dr Jo Rick – is a chartered occupational psychologist at the Health and Safety Executive. She has researched and published widely on workplace mental health.
Dr Peter McAllister – is a psychiatrist with a strong occupational focus and particular expertise in mental health and occupational performance.
Prof Diana Kloss MBE – Diana is a barrister, former employment judge and honorary senior lecturer in OH law at the University of Manchester.
Dr Sally Coomber – Sally is consultant occupational physician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. and is a past president of the Society of Occupational Medicine.
Dr Samantha Phillips – Samantha is an occupational physician and is head of health and wellbeing at Transport for London.
Annika Lindberg – Annika is a chartered counselling psychologist who specialises in gambling addiction and stress management.
Paul Anthony – Paul is a consultant cognitive behavioural psychotherapist at Working Minds UK, and has worked in mental health for 30 years.
Prof Marios Adamou OBE – Marios is a consultant psychiatrist in neurodevelopmental psychiatry (ADHD and ASD) at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Tim Fullen – Tim is a consultant clinical psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
About Brunel University London
This qualification is organised by The At Work Partnership with the support of Brunel University London.
Brunel University London’s College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences runs the NMC accredited Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) for entry on Part 3 of the NMC register for three pathways namely OH, Health Visiting and School Nursing. Part 3 registration is sought by many OH employers. The College prides itself on delivering high quality professional and public health education in line with the University’s mission “to bring benefit to society through excellence in education, research and knowledge transfer”.
Find out more at:
https://www.brunel.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/Specialist-Community-Public-Health-Nursing-PGDip-and-MSc
