FOM SOM engagement in improving health and work nationally

FREE for ALL (please log in on the SOM website first). 

Engagement with policy makers to prevent ill health at work and to sustain people in their work, and the importance of national standards

The purpose of this webinar is to promote discussion of how we in the occupational health community can most effectively engage in current national initiatives, in the interest of preventing ill health at work and sustaining people in their work.

This exclusive webinar will cover:
•    The AOMRC statement
•    The Charlie Mayfield Review
•    Supporting ICS in implementation
 

Speaker: Robin Cordell 
MBA FRCP FFOM
President of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine

Robin Cordell is an accredited specialist in occupational medicine engaged in day to day clinical practice, and in the specialist training of those in the resident posts established in Cordell Health, a social enterprise which provides occupational health services to a wide range of organisations in the public, private and charitable sectors.  

Robin has broad experience, including more than 20 years in the Defence Medical Services, as a Past President of the Society of Occupational Medicine (2015/16) and a director of the Council for Work and Health since 2016 (to May 2025).  He led the review of the Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS) standards and launch of the new standards, with a focus on outputs and outcomes, in June 2023.  

In September 2024, Robin was elected President of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM).  As President of the FOM, Robin is also Chair of the Board of Trustees of the charity, and responsible for strategy and governance.  He leads the Faculty team’s engagement in initiatives aimed at improving health at work nationally, and in advancing professional education and standards in occupational health.  In all his work, Robin is engaged in promoting workplace health, advising on preventing ill health related to work, and on supporting those with health problems to be sustained in good work. 

Chair: Dr Lanre Ogunyemi

FREE for ALL. You will then be sent the joining link.

Full session details:

The current two principal consultations on health and work, Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper  and the Independent report by Sir Charlie Mayfield Keep Britain Working Review: Discovery at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-britain-working-review-discovery/keep-britain-working-review-discovery .  

We in FOM and SOM will comment on these consultations by 30 May 2025. FOM and SOM will also contribute to a response from the Council for Work and Health, of which both organisations are among the 37 members (as at: https://www.councilforworkandhealth.org.uk/https://www.councilforworkandhealth.org.uk/ ).  

FOM is also engaged with those other members of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Allied Health Professionals Federation (AHPF) that brought together the 2025 update on the Healthcare Professionals’ Consensus Statement for Action on Health and Work at: https://www.aomrc.org.uk/publication/2025-healthcare-professionals-consensus-statement-for-action-on-health-and-work/ .  Observations from this group representing the breadth of health professionals across the UK include that the work being led by Sir Charlie Mayfield has a focus of those who are in work, and what can be done by employers to prevent people falling out of work. The principle is good work is good for mental health. The Get Britain Working Green Paper is more focused on those with disabilities; there are concerns that those with mental health conditions in particular might be disadvantaged.
We see these as two different groups, for which different approaches may be appropriate.

The publication on 10th  March 2025 of the Health Foundation’s Commission for Healthier Working Lives report Action for healthier working lives at: https://www.health.org.uk/reports-and-analysis/reports/action-for-healthier-working-lives  draws attention to  the lack of a universal standard for occupational health service delivery.  SEQOHS is specifically mentioned positively in this context, but the report states that it difficult for employers to identify cost-effective, high-quality support.  The centrality of standards will be discussed, to provide assurance that occupational health service delivery is of the right quality and delivers value.