PERSONAL LEARNING ZONE

Summary:

 This issue of Occupational Health [at Work] features a Personal Learning Zone (PLZ) article recommended for continuing professional development (CPD). The assignment questions, ‘Personal learning statement’ and ‘Certificate of engagement’ are available to subscribers at here. These will also be stored in your password-protected PLZ. The PLZ will help you document your own CPD. Occupational health physicians and nurses, occupational hygienists and other professionals can use the resource in support of their specialism’s revalidation or CPD requirements

FEATURED ARTICLE

Pages 29-34 Triage in OH. Triage is the process by which treatment priorities are determined according to patient needs. Although developed for the medical treatment of people wounded in battle, the concept of case prioritisation can be applied in OH to ensure the referral process is appropriate and efficient. Triage also helps OH services adapt to change – such as meeting new priorities created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ADDITIONAL CPD 

The following articles, news and research items are suggested reading for CPD and professional revalidation. Subscribers can complete their online Personal Learning Zone CPD record at here 

Page 9. Ethical guidance from the FOM reminds OH professionals involved in workplace COVID-19 vaccination and testing that they must be able to justify their recommendations if challenged later n equality, diversity and inclusion to ensure that obesity and overweight are included.

Page 11–13. A tribunal decision suggests that the Equality Act 2010 protects people because of gender reassignment irrespective of how they describe their gender, and whether or not they intend to undergo surgery.

Pages 16–21. The OH community is in a prime position to help non-OH colleagues to reconceptualise the health–work relationship so that work is seen as an important health outcome..

Pages 22–28. Around 2.3 million adults every year in England and Wales are victims of domestic abuse and its impact can spill over into the workplace. Employers, with help from OH, can do much to support their needs.

Pages 35–37. Complex employment law issues are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, including employers’ duties to protect employees against infection and their right to insist on testing or vaccination, employees refusing to work in a dangerous workplace, and discriminatory treatment of those at increased risk.

Pages 38–42. Our compendium of recent research includes an analysis of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in healthcare workers from different demographic groups, decontamination of filtering face-piece respirators for re-use, and why employees either do or do not disclose their disabilities at work.

Author: The At Work Partnership Ltd

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2021 (vol. 17/6) pp43

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