Events

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

Summary: 

Join us for an engaging joint webinar between The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and SOM exploring the essential role of occupational therapists in leadership positions within occupational health. Our esteemed panel, featuring Karen Phillpotts, Ryan Wynch, Veronica Swainson, and Paul Dunning, will discuss their collaborative approaches to enhancing workplace health alongside doctors, nurses, and other professionals. Discover how their unique perspectives and expertise contribute to high-quality service and innovative solutions. This session is designed for all occupational health practitioners interested in interdisciplinary teamwork and leadership development. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from top leaders in the field!

Karen Phillpotts: Qualified Occupational Therapist with 18 years in Occupational Health, leading the Clinical Standards at Optima Health, ensuring high-quality care for musculoskeletal and mental health teams.
Ryan Wynch: With 17 years in occupational health across various industries, Ryan is the Global Occupational Health Lead for Google Data Centres, specialising in injury management, ergonomics, and industrial hygiene.
Veronica Swainson: Head of Therapies (Occupational Health) at Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in musculoskeletal, vocational, and neurological rehabilitation, offering comprehensive assessments and treatments
Paul Dunning: Professional Head of Staff Health & Wellbeing at Swansea Bay University Health Board, also serving as a Council Member for Wales at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Chair: Jo Vallom Smith

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

£200 for SOM Members (please log in on the SOM website first). Non-members £250. There is a maximum of 20 places.

Conducting and interpreting audiograms under CNWR2005 (Reference L108)

Trainer - Melanie Brewster, Clinical Physiologist (Audiology)

For OH technicians and OH nurses undertaking and/or reviewing audiograms conducted under a CNWR 2005 statutory health surveillance programme.

A one-day course (4 hours attendance certificate) with a suggested post course requirement to provide 4 significantly anonymised audiograms and to categorize competently against in accordance with L108.

Provides the required technical knowledge for both conducting an accurate audiogram and identifying potential NIHL and / or the requirement to refer to general practice at the point of health surveillance.

4 CPD points accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) and SOM Certificate of attendance. Post course certificate of competency if >/80% scored in the post course assessment.

Delegate fee - £200.00 SOM member £250 non SOM member

Duration 4 hours (4 CPD points)

Trainer Melanie Brewster

Clinical Physiologist (Audiology) RCCP 1529, Dip Safety Management, Cert OH Law

Melanie Brewster is an NHS trained Clinical Physiologist specialising in audiology. Alongside private and medico-legal practice she provided the assessment service for the claimants from the NCB and war pension directorate in the early 1990’s and branched out into occupational health in 1996 setting up her own Occupational Health company which specialises in noise. Melanie was instrumental in the 2021 changes in CNWR 2005 guidance and still works in the NHS part time as an external consultant.  

Melanie is an advocate for the correct identification of noise-induced hearing loss and has over 35 years’ experience in interpreting audiograms in industry. She provides specialist Occupational Health risk assessment and reports for employees identified as having hearing loss including advising on the compatibility of hearing aids and hearing protection and the management of safety critical workers with hearing loss.

Melanie has a trainer for many years alongside advising major insurance companies on NIHL claims, validating medico-legal audiograms and several papers published in her subject.

 (SOM members please log in on the SOM website to get the discount). Once paid, you will then be sent the URL join link by email.

FREE WEBINAR

Speakers;

Dr Clare Fernandes. CMO, BBC

Dr Clare Fernandes will be discussing her role at the BBC, its challenges and journey to the role.

In 2020, Clare joined the BBC as the Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Health Team, playing a pivotal role in guiding the multinational organization through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her non-clinical capacity at the BBC, Clare provides technical and functional expertise to key stakeholders, including the Director General, Executive Committee, HR, Safety, Legal and Insurance, and operational teams. She advises on health risks and emergencies, oversees the strategic development and implementation of the BBC’s health agenda including policy and health and wellbeing programmes, and ensures the governance of internal and external health provisions through adherence to frameworks and audit, providing assurance of professional standards.
Beyond her role at the BBC, Clare enjoys teaching and training. An accomplished author, Clare wrote "Questions and Answers in Occupational Medicine," a study aid for the Diploma in Occupational Medicine, which has been highly praised and is currently being revised for a second edition. Clare co-founded and lectures at the Occupational Health Academy, where she has helped over 200 doctors learn the principles and practice of Occupational Medicine since 2019. She serves as the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) Single Best Answer Lead for the MFOM Part 2 exam, where she has supported the FOM in creating a robust syllabus framework and standardising vignettes for consistent and high-quality assessments.
 

Dr Warren Harrex MSc(OccMed), BMedSc(Hons), MBBS, DObstRCOG, DAvMed, FAFOEM, FAFPHM, FACAsM

Dr Warren Harrex will speak about ‘Leadership and Management in Occupational Health’ emphasising the importance of relationships and medical professionalism.

Dr Warren Harrex is a consultant occupational and environmental physician in private practice based in Canberra. Prior to appointment as President of Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) in May 2022, he served in the RAAF reaching the rank of Air Commodore and was the Director General of Clinical Services for the Australian Defence Force and the Director General of Air Force Health Services. He saw active service with the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor in 2003 and chaired the medical officers credentialling committee until his retirement in 2022.Dr Harrex has provided consultancy services to several government departments, mainly the Australian Department of Veterans. He was the principal investigator for the Korean War Veterans Mortality Study and co-author of several health studies of veterans. He was the Chair of the RACP ‘Stakeholder Executive Group’ responsible for the strategic direction and promotion of the Health Benefits of Good Work™ campaign from 2015, chaired the Faculty Policy and Advocacy Committee and is a member of the RACP Accelerated Silicosis Lead Fellows Group. He is the Faculty’s representative on the RACP COVID-19 Clinical Expert Reference Group and was a co-author of an article in Respirology: ‘COVID-19 infection and the broader impacts of the pandemic on healthcare workers’

Chair: Dr Lanre Ogunyemi, SOM President

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

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

Summary: 

Putting in place evidence-based wellbeing products and services has the potential to improve workplace support, reduce work-related illness, prevent avoidable sickness absences and improve retention and performance. Yet, with such a crowded market how do you make a decision on what is best for your organisation? 

SOM have developed a buyers guide for wellbeing products and services. In this session we will share key models and decision making criteria to guide professionals in their decision making. We will cover: 

-    What does a good wellbeing programme look like?
-    What does a good product or service look like?
-    What do potential wellbeing providers need to know about you? 
-    What do you need to know about potential wellbeing providers? 

We will also share best practice case studies. 

Speaker Bio:

Professor Jo Yarker,  
Jo conducts pioneering research and leads on strategy development, risk management and training and development programmes to enable people to thrive in work. She is Managing Partner of Affinity Health at Work, a research and consultancy organisation, and a Professor of Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London. Jo’s work has been funded by the World Health Organisation, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, the UK Health and Safety Executive. She works with private, public and third sector organisations to improve mental health and wellbeing at work. Jo regularly contributes to national guidance and publishes widely to share new knowledge, evidence and tools to promote and sustain health and wellbeing at work. 
 

Chair: Prof Neil Greenberg

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