Events

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

Speakers:
Carlos Henrique Xavier Araujo: Occupational Safety and Health in Small-Scale Gold Mining across the Brazilian Amazon.
Dr. Carlos Henrique Xavier Araujo is a Mining Engineer with 8 years of experience in research projects and consulting focused on critical issues in capacity-building, artisanal and small-scale mining, mercury pollution, sustainability transformations, social responsibility, and stakeholder engagement.  Currently, he is Collaborating Researcher at the University of São Paulo (USP). He has contributed to multicultural projects for organizations such as Ministry of Mines and Energy (Brazil), World Bank/EGPS, USP Centre For Responsible Mining, UN Environment Programme, Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB), Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, and WWF Brazil. His work includes field-based research across the Brazilian Amazon, applying multidisciplinary methodology and collaborating with government agencies, mining cooperatives, local communities, NGOs, the private sector, and academic institutions in Brazil and internationally.

Professor D Moyo: Occupational Diseases and Injuries among ASMs in East, Central and Southern Africa. The Way Forward
A professor of Occupational Medicine at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe. He is also the Senior Consultant Occupational Physician at Baines Occupational Health Services.  He is an internationally renowned Professor who recently received 2 international awards in Manchester, UK in 2024 for his outstanding contribution to the Global development of Occupational Health and outstanding contribution to Occupational Health Research. He has led and managed regional multi-country Occupational Health Centres and projects in East, Central and Southern Africa under the Global Fund, World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The African Union (AU) and the International Commission on Occupational Health. He has been an EXCO member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, South African Society of Occupational Medicine and the International Commission on Occupational Health. Prof D Moyo holds 2 Masters degrees in Health Services management and Occupational Health, a medical degree and advanced professional qualifications in occupational medicine that include 2 Fellowships of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine in Ireland. Prof Moyo has over 50 publications in peer reviewed journals.

Dr Gavin Hilson: Summary of the IOMSC ASM project results so far
Gavin Hilson is Professor and Chair of Sustainability in Business at Surrey Business School, University of Surrey, United Kingdom. He is a leading global authority on the social and environmental impacts of artisanal and small- scale mining (ASM) in sub- Saharan Africa.   Professor Hilson received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Toronto and his PhD from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. 

Chair: Dr Richard Heron, (IOMSC Co-Chair)

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

The four courses aim to help delegates understand the facts about drug & alcohol misuse in the workplace including legal considerations, how to compile a substance misuse policy and interpretation of reports generated by the laboratory.

Collection Officer Training
Who should attend: Anyone who undertakes Chain of Custody collections; OHA / OHNAs; Occupational Health Physicians; GPs; HR Managers; Health & Safety Officers; trade union members
Course content:
- Preparing a site for collection
- Mechanics of a urine collection, troubleshooting and common errors
- Collection demonstration for back-to-lab and Point of Collection [POC] devices
- Breathalyser selection, calibration and verification with demonstration
- What happens to the samples in the laboratory
- Oral fluid and hair collections
Cost: £285 per delegate

MRO Training, part 1
Who should attend: OHA / OHNAs; Occupational Health Physicians; GPs
Course content:
- The role of the Medical Review Officer [MRO] including the Medical Review
- Laboratory process
- Adulteration checks and how donors try and mislead the testing
- Drug metabolism looking at the fact and fiction behind positive samples
- Evaluation and debate of Chain of Custody cases through result interpretation
Cost: £285 per delegate

MRO Training, part 2
Who should attend: OHA / OHNAs; Occupational Health Physicians; GPs
Course content:
- Use of alternative biological samples such as hair, oral fluid, sweat and sweat vapour
- Pros and cons of Point of Collection [POC] devices, how to develop protocols consistent with the principles of Chain of Custody
- Quality and accreditation, UK Guidelines for Workplace Drugs Testing, minimum service level to expect
- Alcohol including biomarkers such as EtG/EtS, FAEE
- Evaluation via MCQs
Cost: £285 per delegate

Policy Workshop
Who should attend: HR Managers; Health & Safety Officers; Occupational Health professionals; trade union members
Course content:
- Drawing up a draft substance misuse policy
- Timelines for policy introduction and educational requirements
Cost: £175 per delegate for a half-day

On-site courses can be tailored to your requirements. Please call for further information and details of costs

Venues and dates available throughout 2025:

Policy, afternoon

Collection Officer

MRO1

MRO2

Zoom UK/GMT

03-Feb

04-Feb

05-Feb

06-Feb

Zoom UK/BST

04-Aug

05-Aug

06-Aug

07-Aug

Zoom UAE BST-3hrs

27-Apr

28-Apr

29-Apr

30-Apr

Zoom UAE BST-3hrs

05-Oct

06-Oct

07-Oct

08-Oct

Dates and start times can be adapted to your time zone. Please contact Helen Vangikar for further details.

All delegates will receive an information pack and certificate(s), and MRO1 and MRO2 are accredited and qualify for CPD hours from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians [UK].

To view further course details please click here.

For more information please email: helen@helenvangikar.com or visit www.helenvangikar.com.

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

Summary 

The new Leadership Competencies for Occupational Health have been launched to accelerate OH leadership in the UK and beyond. The Leadership Competencies were developed drawing on research and extensive consultation with the SOM leadership community. This session aims to provide occupational health (OH) professionals, and those responsible for recruiting and training them, with an introduction to the framework, its development and implications for future use.
 
In this session we will cover:
•    why this framework was needed
•    the development of the framework
•    the competencies relevant to OH leadership
•    how the competencies can be used to inform recruitment and personal development
•    developing an action plan to develop your own leadership competencies to propel your own professional practice and influence others to advance occupational health

BIOs:

Professor Jo Yarker, Managing Partner at Affinity Health at Work and Professor of Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London.
 
Jo is a Registered and Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Managing Partner at Affinity Health at Work, Professor of Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London and Co-Director of the London Centre for Work and Health. Her work focuses on supporting healthy, sustainable work for all, particularly how we design work, lead teams, and support people during periods of challenge or change. Jo has led research for the Medical Protection Society, Acas, the World Health Organization, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and currently leads Project OSCAR (Occupational Stress Consultation and Research) funded by the Health at Safety Executive. She works closely with organisations, policy makers, and professional bodies to translate research into practical solutions.
 
Nathan Palmer, Senior Consultant at Affinity Health at Work.
 
Nathan is a Registered Occupational Psychologist and works as a Senior Consultant at Affinity Health at Work and supports a range of client and research projects – bringing together existing evidence and expert opinion to create new tools and more in-depth understanding of workplace wellbeing challenges. Having worked in leadership positions in major national charities, with experience in designing and delivering training programmes at scale, he is passionate about learning and development, supporting people to thrive at work and enabling individuals and teams to be successful. Nathan is also currently working towards a professional doctorate in Occupational Psychology. His specialist areas of interest include Inclusion, Effective Management Practices, and Supportive Teams.

Dr Lanre Ogunyemi, Chair, SOM Leadership Academy

Dr Lanre Ogunyemi is a Consultant in Occupational Medicine, Immediate Past President of the UK Society of Occupational Medicine, and Founding Chair of its Leadership Academy, established to develop future leaders and strengthen leadership across the occupational health workforce. He serves as Academic Registrar (Chief Examiner) at the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and sits on the Board of Directors of the UK Council for Work & Health. As Medical Director at Trinity Occupational & Public Health Solutions Ltd (TOPHS), he oversees services across diverse sectors and leads the delivery of Faculty-accredited training for the Diploma in Occupational Medicine and the Diploma in Occupational Health Practice. A passionate advocate for education, leadership, and workforce development, Dr Ogunyemi plays an active role in advancing professional standards and enhancing leadership capability within the specialty.

 Dr Natalie Green, Senior Medical Director at Health Partners Group.
 
Dr Natalie Green is Senior Medical Director at Health Partners Group and a Consultant Occupational Physician with extensive experience across public and private sectors. She leads a multidisciplinary clinical team delivering occupational health services to a wide range of commercial clients. Natalie is a compassionate and inclusive leader, committed to helping individuals thrive and encouraging leadership at all levels. She believes that everyone has the potential to lead, regardless of role or seniority, and is passionate about creating environments where people can grow and succeed. She is a member of the SOM Leadership Academy Executive Committee, supporting the development of current and future leaders in occupational health, and serves on the FOM Ethics Committee. Her works as part of the EOPH education faculty contributes to the education and development of the next generation of occupational health physicians. 

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

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

Session details:

This webinar promotes the recently published SOM guidance on Occupational Health Audits (here) with the aim of bringing it to life for a wider audience.

The session will showcase the document’s practical application. Hilary Winch will chair the webinar, with Jane Manders providing a brief overview of the guidance, followed by Emma McCollum and Chris Terry sharing how they have implemented it in practice.

Speaker bios:

Chris Terry is a nurse by background with a special interest in ergonomics and human factors.  He has worked in various occupational health roles for the past twenty years.  For the last 13 years he has been a director at Insight Workplace Health.  Outside of work he has a family and enjoys adventure sports such as mountaineering.

Jane Manders is an experienced occupational health specialist with 17 years in the field. Originally from South Africa, Jane holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and a BA in Occupational Health Practice from Robert Gordon University. She has worked across the rail and construction sectors and is currently an Occupational Health Business Partner at Mitie, a leading facilities management company with over 72,000 employees. Jane has previously played a key role in achieving SEQOHS and RISQS accreditations for occupational health services and has completed ISO 9001 Internal Auditor Training. In 2023, she further demonstrated her commitment to quality by earning a Master’s degree in Strategic Quality Management from the University of Portsmouth. 

Emma McCollum is a Consultant Occupational Health Physician working in the NHS and industry.  She is Secretary of ALAMA and a FOM Regional Specialty Adviser (South West).    She supports medical education in the Trust as an Educational Supervisor for specialty trainees and Foundation doctors.  She contributed to the FOM SEQOHS review and Trust SEQOHS reaccreditation.  Outside work, she enjoys spending time with family, walking and hockey. 

 
Chair: Hilary Winch

FREE for SOM Members (please log in on the SOM website). You will then be sent the join link.