Occupational Health and Wellbeing
About Us
The Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department (OH) is a specialist work related health advisory service which supports staff and managers in relation to workplace health matters. The activities we undertake in order to promote a healthy workplace include:
- Pre placement (formerly known as pre-employment) health screening
- Health surveillance – including lung function tests and skin surveillance for staff exposed to specific hazards identified in workplace risk assessments
- Immunisations and vaccinations and immunity screening – as required by Department of Health and Trust Guidelines
- Post exposure advice following bodily fluid exposures (sharps injuries, bites, scratches etc.).
- Contact tracing following exposure to infectious diseases.
- Support for employees and managers during the sickness absence management process.
- Advice and support for managers on supporting employees with long-term health conditions in the workplace.
- Return to work advice following sickness absence
- Health promotion and Health and Wellbeing activities
- Physiotherapy Services
- Occupational Therapy Services
- Liaison Psychiatry and Psychology services.
- Direct Access Counselling Services via our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – provided by Workplace Options
The Team
The occupational health team are a multidisciplinary team, made up of specialist nurses doctors and allied health practitioners who usually come from general healthcare backgrounds and obtain specialist experience and training in workplace health and occupational medicine.
The specialist practitioner team is supported by a team of practice nurses and an experienced administration team.
Unfortunately, the Occupational Health team are not able to offer treatments or onward referrals to specialists and is not intended to replace your GP, however where appropriate, we will collaborate with GPs, treating consultants or other healthcare professionals in order to obtain the best outcome for our staff.
Contact details
The majority of our team are based at Jennie Lee House on the Denmark Hill Campus. We also have a clinic at Orpington Hospital where we provide physiotherapy, nurse and doctor clinics.
At Denmark Hill the department is divided into 2 areas. The main department is on the 3rd floor (with some consulting rooms on the 2nd floor). The reception area can be accessed via Door C and is on the 3rd Floor with lift access. Staff attending vaccination clinics should enter the On-Boarding Centre on the Ground Floor, via Door A
Denmark Hill Site
3rd Floor Jennie Lee House
Love Walk
London
SE5 8AD
Telephone: 020 3299 3387 (internal - 33387)
Occupational Health at Orpington
Occupational Health Orpington
1st Floor
Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre
19 Homefield Rise
Orpington
BR6 0FE
Telephone: 01689 865014 (Internal - 65014)
Opening Hours
Denmark Hill Open daily from 08:30hrs to 17:00hrs (except weekends and public holidays)
Orpington Hospital Open daily from 08:30hrs to 16:30hrs (except weekends and public holidays)
Check out the attached article for more information
Key Services
Management Referrals
If you are absent from work for a prolonged period of time, experience frequent short term sickness absence, have a health condition which may affect your ability to undertake your role, or which may require additional support or workplace adjustments, your manager may refer you to the Occupational Health Service. You will be seen by the most appropriate health professional according to the reason for referral, and a report will be provided, with your consent, to your manager.
Self-referrals
If you have concerns about your health and its potential effect on your work, or vice versa, you can self-refer to see one of the team. We can then advise on a course of action however we do not provide reports for managers following self-referrals.
Occupational Health Physiotherapy Service
*Management Referral
PLEASE NOTE , THERE IS A 6-8 WEEK WAIT FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY EVALUATION AND ADVICE AT PRESENT. THIS IS DUE TO A STAFF SHORTAGE. IF A REFERRAL IS URGENT, THE STAFF MEMBER MAY BE ALLOCATED TO SEE AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSE, PHYSICIAN OR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST FIRST FOR WORK-RELATED ADVICE. PLEASE ADVISE YOUR STAFF MEMBER TO VISIT THEIR GP FOR FURTHER SUPPORT.
The Occupational Health Physiotherapy service is available to staff who are experiencing musculoskeletal problems (e.g. back/ knee/ shoulder problems) that are significantly affecting their ability to carry out work duties or attend work. The Occupational Health Physiotherapist will assess the staff member's fitness to work, advise on reasonable work place adjustments, diagnose, assess and treat the musculoskeletal condition (where appropriate). A report to the manager will be written(with employee's consent) as part of this process. Please note, all appointments will take place via a virtual video platform or via telephone unless there is a clinical / communication need that means a staff member may be seen face to face. Consent will be sought before any in-clinic appointment and we may require PPE to be worn. Our last survey showed 94% of staff we satisfied or very satisfied with their virtual Physiotherapy sessions and would recommend our service.
STAFF CAN FIND A RANGE OF INFORMATION ON MANAGING MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS HERE: https://www.kch.nhs.uk/patientsvisitors/patients/leaflets
THIS INCLUDES ADVICE ON:
- - LOW BACK PAIN
- - NECK PAIN
- - SHOULDER PAIN (SOFT TISSUE INJURY, FROZEN SHOULDER, DISLOCATION)
- - WRIST PAIN (MINOR INJURIES)
- - HIP PAIN (SOFT TISSUE INJURY OR OSTEOARTHRITIS)
- - KNEE PAIN (E.G. OSTEOARTHRITIS, KNEE CAP PAIN AND MORE)
- - ANKLE PAIN (SPRAINS AND FRACTURES)
- - HEEL PAIN (PLANTARFASCIOPATHY)
- - RADIOFREQUENCY DENERVATION OF THE BACK, HIP, KNEE ,SHOULDER AND NECK
REMEMBER TO ADVISE STAFF TO GO TO THIER GP WITH A NEW ONSET OF SYMPTOMS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, HOWEVER IF THEY EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, PLEASE ADVISE THEM TO GO TO URGENT CARE / A&E FOR ASSESSMENT:
- Loss of control (bladder or bowel) e.g. increase in urgency / leaking urine(wee), unable to stop yourself from passing a stool (pooing)
- Loss of sensation when opening bowls / passing urine
- Loss of feeling / altered sensation between legs around genitals or bottom
- Sudden, unexpected weight loss (unplanned)
- Night sweating (waking feeling drenched, needing to change clothes or bed-sheets)
- Constant, unremitting night pain (does not ease with changing position, getting out of bed)
- Changes of walking pattern where you may catch your foot on the floor / legs collapse or give way / stumble / trip /fall
- Changes in sensation in both legs at the same time (e.g. numbness/ pins and needles or other strange sensations)
- THE SELF REFERRAL SERVICE IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. THIS IS DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES. PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY SELF REFERRALS RECEIVED UNTIL 01.10.21 WILL BE CONTACTED VIA THE EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED AND OFFERED ADVICE. ANY SELF REFERRALS ARRIVING THEREAFTER WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL BE REDIRECTED AS FOLLOWS:
IF YOUR MANAGER NEEDS ASSISTANCE, THEY SHOULD CALL THE MANAGER'S ADVICE LINE ON 0203 299 3387 OPTION 3.
PLEASE ALSO CONTACT YOUR GP AND REQUEST REFERRAL TO YOUR LOCAL PHYSIOTHERAPY TEAM.
YOU CAN ACCESS A RANGE OF INJURY ADVICE LEAFLETS HERE:
https://www.kch.nhs.uk/patientsvisitors/patients/leaflets
FOR ANY NON WORK RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS (E.G. NON-WORK RELATED ACUTE ONSET OF BACK PAIN, SPORTS RELATED INJURY, ANKLE SPRAIN ETC), PLEASE CONTACT YOUR GP.
PLEASE GO TO YOUR GP WITH A NEW ONSET OF SYMPTOMS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, HOWEVER IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, PLEASE GO TO URGENT CARE / A&E FOR ASSESSMENT:
- Loss of control (bladder or bowel) e.g. increase in urgency / leaking urine(wee), unable to stop yourself from passing a stool (pooing)
- Loss of sensation when opening bowls / passing urine
- Loss of feeling / altered sensation between legs around genitals or bottom
- Sudden, unexpected weight loss (unplanned)
- Night sweating (waking feeling drenched, needing to change clothes or bed-sheets)
- Constant, unremitting night pain (does not ease with changing position, getting out of bed)
- Changes of walking pattern where you may catch your foot on the floor / legs collapse or give way / stumble / trip /fall
- Changes in sensation in both legs at the same time (e.g. numbness/ pins and needles or other strange sensations)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO REOPEN THE SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY TEAM.
* Internal Occupational Health referral
You may also be referred internally by a member of the Occupational Health team (e.g Nurse / Physician / OT). In all cases one of the physiotherapy team may contact you prior to booking an appointment in order to further assess your needs. Please ensure your contact details held by Occupational Health are up to date.
Occupational Therapy
OH OT - supporting people to be well and productive in their work through:
- Job and environmental analysis & guidance reports
- Personalised and holistic rehabilitation
We see all health conditions and the 4 key elements to the OT service are:
- Advanced functional assessment & rehabilitation
- Occupational Health advisory reports and case management
- Environmental risk assessment
- Bespoke wellbeing & prevention work
- Functional capacity assessments & advanced workplace risk assessments to advise on employment decisions for complex staff employment cases e.g. dyslexia assessment, head injury cognitive assessments, chronic pain, neurological conditions, cancer, sensory loss, complex musculoskeletal conditions, other chronic/disability conditions.
- Group and 121 rehabilitation to support staff back to work / prevent sickness absence e.g. Long COVID recovery, dyslexia self-management coaching, upper limb exercises, stress management, chronic condition management etc.
- For staff with health problems, environmental risk assessments, education & report e.g. DSE / office advanced assessments for staff with injuries and recommending specific equipment.
- Occupational Health case management, signposting/referral to support services & advisory reports for managers
- Wellbeing & prevention work - Identifying hot spot areas with rising musculoskeletal / stress issues then scoping needs and providing bespoke training packages to reduce injuries.
***Please note that we do not provide standard Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments - staff can complete a Self Assessment Checklist - please use the following path to access the form: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.pdf
Please then discuss the results with your manager:
- as some issues (for example temperature and lighting) should be reported to facilities in the first instance
- ordering simple equipment (for example footrests, document holders)does not require additional OH assessment***
We will happily provide a DSE assessment if you have ongoing health issues (once you have completed the above self assessment, have implemented the recommended actions and have trialed the changes for at least 1 month)."
Please note that you will likely been seen in a group consultation in the first instance, if you request a DSE assessment.
We accept self referrals - please use the following path to access the form:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rEXyl8U11L5vr2GLSsdBeytr9j_AYlIvc-IcUJE3fIw/edit?usp=sharing
DYSLEXIA
Dyslexia is a common condition affecting 10-20% of the working population.
Key difficulties can include:
- Speed of processing (hearing/seeing)
- Memory
- Organisational Skills
- Sequencing
- Speaking
- Motor skills
- Time management
- Stress management
- Spelling
- Reading
- Writing
- May include difficulty with numeric / musical notation
- Low Mood
Step 1 - Do a checklist Example - https://cdn.bdadyslexia.org.uk/uploads/documents/Dyslexia/Adult-Checklist-1.pdf?v=1554931003
- It's free
- It's quick
- It promotes better understanding
- Small cost
- More comprehensive
- Get help sheets and video guides.
- Immediate strategies
Examples of companies (please do shop around):
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
https://www.lexxic.com/
https://www.geniuswithin.org
- Involves testing underlying ability, cognitive skills and attainment testing (literacy and sometimes numeracy)
- Will receive a diagnosis
- And a report with strategies for coping in life.
Examples:
Via Occupational Health OTs
Or Access To Work - https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
What happens:
- Assessor comes to workplace
- Meets with manager, employee and HR
- Job specification and tasks
- Working environment
- Working practices and
- How these relate to the individual’s particular dyslexic profile of strengths and weakness
- Potential adjustments
- You will receive a report detailing the reasonable adjustments needed in the workplace
We provide screening and vaccination in accordance with Department of Health and Trust Guidance. If your role involves significant patient contact you will need vaccinated against or immune to the following diseases:
- TB
- Measles
- Rubella
- Varicella
If your role involves either renal or Exposure Prone Procedure (EPP) work, you will need to provide evidence of clear blood tests for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. These must be from a UK laboratory and marked as Identity Validated. If you change roles within the Trust to an EPP or renal role, you must let OH know so that the appropriate screening can be completed prior to your start.
We are currently unable to provide travel vaccinations unless you are travelling on Trust business. Most GP practices offer a travel health service, with some vaccinations free of charge. For travel health requirements for specific countries, please see Fitness for Travel
If you are moving to another Trust, or applying to NHSP or agencies, we are able to provide a copy of your immunisation records however we are unable to offer vaccinations or screening for agencies or NHSP for diseases not required for your role within the Trust.
Mental Health Support
- EAP - Employee Assistance Programme
Contact Workplace Options on 08000 243 458 or www.workplaceoptions.com Online user name: KCH Password: Employee
- Liaison Psychiatry and Psychology
Walk in Services
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a treatment service here in OH. If your condition requires urgent attention, you should attend your nearest ED or urgent care centre, whichever is the most appropriate. For treatment which can wait for an appointment you should contact your own GP.
We offer walk in services for the following:
- Pre-employment blood tests where the start date is < 1 week away.
- Sharps/Splashes or other body fluid exposures.
- Acute skin problems.
If you experience a body fluid exposure (sharps injury, bite or splash), you should attend the OH department, ideally within an hour of exposure, during our office hours. Outside of these hours or if your base is on the South Sites, (PRUH, Orpington, Beckenham Beacon, QMS) you should attend ED at the PRUH.
You should bring with you the following information (if known) as it aids the OH and ED teams in their risk assessment.
- Name, date of birth, hospital number and reason for admission of the donor patient.
- Details of your immunity to Hepatitis B (if you have it)
- Medical history for the donor patient (particularly any risk factors for Blood Borne Viruses).
If you attend ED you MUST contact OH the next working day and complete a DATIX form.
For further information please the Blood Borne Virus Exposure Page
Other Walk In Services
- Sudden Acute Onset of skin problems
- Unexpected Exposures to workplace hazards such as chemical exposures or outbreaks.
- Acute mental health problems if experienced at work.
Covid-19 The Occupational Health team are here to support the Trust during the current COVID-19 Pandemic. The team can be contacted at the following times via email or phone:
Daily 0800-1700 On 0203 299 7533 Option 3 Monday to Friday until 2000 on 07890 251 251 Banks Holidays via the mobile number. or by email on kch-tr.ohcovid19@nhs.net This email is manned Daily 0900-1700
Please see the Covid 19 Kwiki pages for more information.
Managers Information
Getting Help and Advice (Managers' Helpine)
Help and Advice for Managers (Managers' Helpline)
If you are a line manager and you need advice on Occupational Health issues not covered above (including advice on referrals, you can call the dedicated Managers Helpline, open from 0900-1200 daily, on 020 3299 3387 (internal extension 33387 - option 3)
Disability and The Equality Act (2010)
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) was replaced by the Equality Act in 2010. The Act incorporates several protected characteristics, one of which is presence of a Disability, and exists to ensure that workers who have a disability are not treated less fairly as a result of their disability than other members of staff.
Decisions as to whether or not a person is covered under the Act, are with very few exceptions, legal rather than medical decisions, however the OH team are able to advise as to whether someone is likely to be covered by the Equality Act (2010) or not, and advise managers on any reasonable adjustments which may be required to support the individual in the workplace. The decision as to whether an adjustment is reasonable lies with the manager.
Further information and advice can be sought from the Managers' Helpline or through formal management referral for assessment and advice.
Access to work
Access to work is a government service which offers advice and support for staff with disabilities. If you are a manager and think that a member of your staff may benefit from this service, the staff member will need to contact the service direct. To gain the most from this service it is best used in conjunction with a formal occupational health referral; however the member of staff does not require a referral from OH to access the service... Access to work
Making a Referral
There are a number of reasons for making a referral to the OH team, including:
- Frequent short term sickness absence
- Long term sickness absence (regardless of intended return to work date)
- Where a member of staff has a long-term health condition which is affecting their attendance or ability to undertake their full duties.
- Where there is a concern that work is affecting the member of staff’s health.
- As part of the absence management process (if not already referred for the above reasons)
- Where the member of staff has triggered a stage in the sickness absence management process (if not already referred for one of the above reasons.
We recommend early referral so that any health issues can be discussed and advised upon in a timely manner. In the event that a member of staff is on long term sickness, advice that managers refer as soon as the employee is signed off for more than 2 weeks so that their health can be assessed and a return to work plan is in place prior to them being ready to return to work.
Referrals must be discussed with staff and consent for referral obtained otherwise the OH team are unable to offer an appointment.
All management referrals to OH can only be done on the Cority Portal. https://kch.my.cority.com This will require the manager getting a log in to be able to access the Cority Portal. Managers with an existing log in should use the same log in to access the Cority portal. Managers without a log in should send an email to the OH Cority Support Team: kch-tr.ohcohortsupport@nhs.net for you log in details. This will be created within 48 hours.
You will also be sent a guide to help you log in and submit the management referral.
If you need a password reset, please use the "forget password" function; and if it does not work please email the support team for further assistance.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL ICT FOR ANY CORITY PASSWORD RESET.
Confidentiality & Consent
All information provided to occupational health is treated with the strictest confidence. Staff medical records and information are subject to management under The Access to Medical Reports Act (1988), the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) (2018). Please click here to see our Privacy Statement T:\005 COMMUNICATIONS\Ad hoc and General Communications\GDPR privacy statement May 2018.doc
All staff OH records are stored separate to the main hospital digital and paper records system and are not release to managers or anyone else internal or external to the Trust without prior written informed consent in accordance with the above legislation. There are few exceptions to this namely:
- For the purposes of accident reporting under the Reporting of Incidents, Deaths and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)
- Reporting of notifiable contagious diseases to Public Health England.
- Reporting of exposure to Blood Borne Viruses to Public Health England.
- When disclosure is unequivocally in the public interest
Management Reports
In addition to complying with the legislation outlined above the OH team follow GMC,NMC, HCPC and Faculty of Occupational Medicine guidelines when producing reports for managers. This means that prior to the production of a management report the OH professional will outline the content of the report to the individual and gain informed, written consent to send the report to the referring manager and the Employee Relations Team.
The staff member can elect to see the report before it is sent to the manager and can withhold consent for release of the report if they so wish.
In the event that the employee elects to see the report before it is sent, the OH practitioner will only alter factual inaccuracies as highlighted by the individual but will not change their opinion on fitness to work or recommendations made.
In the event that the individual withdraws or refuses consent for production or release of the report, the OH practitioner will inform the referring manager of this fact, as well as informing the individual staff member of the likely ramifications of their decision and discharge the individual from the OH service.
Please note that the OH team can only send the report to named individuals on the referral form and cannot release the report to any other member of the management team without consent.
Making a Referral
You may wish to refer a staff member if they are on long term sick or if they have had several episodes of short term sickness absence. You can also refer for advice on disability issues or if a staff member is at work and they have health problems that are affecting their work or their work is being affected by their health. If health problems are very severe you may have been advised by human resources to refer your staff member to occupational health and sometimes it is necessary for us to consider ill health retirement. Usually this is a very last resort as our ethos is to support people to be in work as far as possible.
Once you refer, the referral will be 'triaged' to determine who the best person is to make an assessment. Referrals will not automatically be seen by a doctor as appointments with doctors are usually made for complex health problems. Most staff referred to occupational health are seen by a specialist nurse advisor, or one of our therapies team.
We use a system of internal referrals between nurses and doctors, doctors and nurses, nurses and therapists etc. in order to provide a multidisciplinary approach to supporting and treating (therapies) our patients' to ensure they have a speedy return to work or to avoid absence, as far as is reasonably practicable, if currently in work.
Complex long term health problems can benefit from a case conference. Your HR advisor may recommend a case conference or OH may suggest this as part of the case management process.
To make a formal referral it is always best to discuss your reasoning with the staff member and gain their consent. Occupational health may not be able to see someone if they have not been made aware of and have not consented to the referral the referral.
All management referrals to OH can only be done on the Cority Portal. https://kch.my.cority.com This will require the manager getting a log in to be able to access the Cohort Portal. Managers with an existing log in should use the same log in to access the Cority portal. Managers without a log in should send an email to the OH Cohort Support Team: kch-tr.ohcohortsupport@nhs.net for you log in details. This will be created within 48 hours
You will also be sent a guide to help you log in and submit the management referral.
'If you need a password reset, please use the "forget password" function; and if it does not work please email the support team for further assistance.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL ICT FOR ANY CORITY PASSWORD RESET.'
Confidentiality & Consent
All information provided to occupational health is treated with the strictest confidence. Staff (Patient)records and information is subject to management under The Access to Medical Reports Act (1988) and the Data Protection Act (1998) and the GDPR (2018). Our patient notes (staff become 'our patients' when under our care)are not stored or managed by any of the systems in any of the main hospital sites. Electronic patient records, results and information are not accessible via the EPR or other central hospital patient systems and sit on a secure bespoke occupational health patient management system.
If staff leave the Trust their occupational health records will be securely archived in accordance with good professional practice.
Occupational health complies with relevant legislation and professional guidelines in regards to on consent including The Access to Medical Reports Act (1988), the "subject access provisions" of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR (2018) and The Equality Act 2010. Following a formal management referral and subsequent report being produced, the contents of reports will be discussed as required with the individual concerned.
Written consent will be obtained before reports are sent to the employer(manager/human resources). The employee will be provided with a copy of such reports, unless they decline to do so, and will have the opportunity to see the report before it is sent to the employer. Employees (our patients) are entitled to decline to consent to reports about them being sent, although this rarely happens. Occupational health will notify the manager in the situation.
Your Feedback
We always welcome feedback from our users (patients) or managers about the service we provide. If you had a good experience or would like to make a suggestion you will find our feedback forms in our reception area. Alternatively you can access the form through Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire or via our Survey Monkey Questionnaire https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HP97ZFV and return by internal post to Department of Occupational Health and Wellbeing,3rd Floor, Jennie Lee House, 34 Love Walk, SE5 8AD or via e-mail to James Kesson - james.kesson@nhs.net
Useful Documents
Employee Assistance Programme Service Feedback Questionnaire
Other Useful Links
Drugs and Alcohol
- http://www.drugsmeter.com
- http://www.drinksmarter.org
- http://www.drinkaware.co.uk
- http://www.nta.nhs.uk -Information about all drug and alcohol treatment pathways in the UK
- Workplace options
- Access to work
- Health & Safety Executive
- Department of Health
- World Health Organisation
