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 25–28. Promoting physical activity. Many workers, particularly those in sedentary jobs, struggle to meet internationally recognised guidelines on minimum physical activity levels. OH programmes promoting physical activity are more likely to succeed if they focus on creating healthy workplace cultures rather than trying to change individual behaviours.

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

Pages 09-10. The EAT has held that a store manager dismissed for gross misconduct following an altercation with an abusive customer was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against because of something arising in consequence of his disability. It upheld an employment tribunal’s finding that referral to OH (among other

steps) would have been a proportionate alternative to dismissal.

Pages 13-18. In situations where an employee is accompanied to an OH consultation by a third party, such as a spouse, partner, friend, translator, support worker or union rep, it is important to set ground rules concerning the third party’s conduct, and to ensure that the employee has freely given their consent to be accompanied

Pages 19-24. Although rarely required in OH consultations, OH services should have a policy on, and access to, suitably trained chaperones where the presence of an impartial observer is requested or advised.

Pages 34-37. Many people with autistic spectrum disorder or dyslexia can be disadvantaged by the nature of some recruitment tests, despite being able to meet the job requirements. Employers should make reasonable adjustments to their recruitment processes where they would disadvantage an applicant who has disclosed their disability.

Pages 38-42. Our compendium on recent research includes a review of workplace mental health interventions, the negative health impacts of missing work breaks, and a systematic review of CBT-based interventions in promoting return to work from sickness absence.

Author: The At Work Partnership Ltd

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2023 (vol. 20/1) pp43

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