PERSONAL LEARNING ZONE

Summary:

FEATURED ARTICLE

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 ohaw.co/AWPcpd. 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.

Pages 30–33. Single-sex facilities. The Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers on the definition of a woman has major implications for the workplace. The employment tribunal case of Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife also highlights the complex issues around the provision of single-sex spaces, such as toilets. Health, safety and welfare legislation is also relevant, as are the rights of people who have undergone gender reassignment.

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 ohaw.co/AWPcpd

 

 Page 4. Initiating and providing supportive conversations can be an essential component for the management of workers working remotely because of disability and/or neurodiversity.

Page 5. OH services should work collaboratively to support the phased return to work of employees with long COVID, guidance from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work explains.

Pages 8–10. Regarding the Equality Act 2010, advising whether an impairment has a substantial adverse effect on an employee’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities requires careful consideration where the effects are recurring, as illustrated in Roofe-Stewart v MacIntyre Care, in which the employee had a condition with characteristic ‘flare-ups’.

Pages 10–11. An Employment Appeal Tribunal decision in Sener v London United Busways highlights the importance of communicating to all the relevant managers the reasonable adjustments needed by a disabled employee.

Pages 14–29. OH professionals report that their workloads are increasing and that they are seeing more complex cases, such as mental health and diverse conditions. Most professionals report being able to work flexibly.

Page 39. The key finding of a review of studies exploring workplace interventions targeting sedentary behaviour and physical activity is that, despite some small effects, none made much difference to workers’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, ie the outcome that would yield important health benefits.

Author: The At Work Partnership Ltd

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2025 (vol. 22/1) pp39

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