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25 November 2025Webinar
Occupational Health Consultations
Tuesday 25th November, A Virtual Event
Testimonial - “Very enjoyable with some real gems to improve my consultations” - OH physician
OH consultations are at the heart of an occupational health professional’s work. The At Work Partnership is delighted to announce the new date for their one-day course designed to help OH professionals enhance their consultation skills.
Join The At Work Partnership for an essential day of training looking at how a skilled consultation can help move a case forward, how to manage difficult consultations and ensure that legal, ethical and quality requirements are met. The day includes a focus on the communication and interpersonal skills that are required for effective OH consultations.
The course will be led by a team of specialists in occupational health and consultation techniques, including Dr Nerys Williams, independent OH physician; Dr Clare Fernandes, Haleon; Carolyn Graham, mediator & conflict coach; Audrey Ludwig, trainer and solicitor; and Sharon Wilday, consultant cognitive behavioural psychotherapist.
The training aims to teach you to:
- Understand the aims of the OH consultation in terms of moving the case forward
- Set up and prepare for effective OH consultations, and understand how to audit and improve these
- How to develop your communication and interpersonal skills that are required for effective OH consultations – including establishing rapport, information gathering, listening and questioning skills, and an introduction to motivational interviewing and coaching techniques.
- Know your legal responsibilities – and the nuances of the unique role of the OH professional – in fulfilling your obligations to both the employee and the employer
- Get the most of your OH consultations whether face to face, telephone or video/onlineSPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE!
EARLY BIRD RATE OFFER: Book and pay before 6th October and save £70 + VAT!
Self-funded rates available and special rates for those who attended an At Work Partnership OH Report Writing course from 2022 onwards! -
25 November 2025Webinar
FREE for ALL (please log in on the SOM website first).
Summary of webinar:
Introduction - The UK Economy needs older workers, yet half the workforce aged 50-65 leave before retirement. Current local delivery of programmes to reduce inactivity due to ill health often ignore this key group, particularly older female workers.
Topic areas
• What are the predictors of job loss for older workers due to health?
• What are effective proactive in work measures e.g. functional assessment, reasonable adjustments and use of occupational health that supports older workers remain in work?
• How can employers and managers support older workers return to work after ill health?
• What are the particular issues for female older workers e.g. caring definition, cultureSpeakers: Dame Carol Black, Professor Ewan Macdonald, Emma Persand, Centre for Ageing Better
Attendees
• ICS leads in England and Scotland, Wales, and NI leads (e.g. Department of Communities)
• DWP/DHSC work and health unit including Sir Charlie Mayfield review team.
• Think tanks e.g. Health Foundation
• Public health leadsOutcomes
• Understand what works as to interventions for older workers to stay and return to work
• Guide and influence local delivery e.g. of Work Well Pilots, Trailblazers, Pathfinders and within Public Health teams
• Improve national policy making related to inactivity due to ill health e.g. for reform of Access to Work and the Mayfield review.
FREE for ALL. You will then be sent the joining link.
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28 November 2025Hybrid
Join the RCN and SOM in-person or online at this popular one-day conference
Friday 28th November 2025
The RCN and SOM are delighted to announce that the popular RCN and SOM Joint Occupational Health Nursing Conference will return for its eighth year in November 2025.
This hybrid conference will cover a broad range of topics designed to support the continuing professional development of occupational health nursing professionals.
Learning outcomes:
- Participants will be able to describe core principles of occupational health surveillance (including skin and general health), and explain their relevance in supporting the health of a changing workforce.
- Participants will be able to evaluate the legal and ethical implications of emerging workplace health issues - such as cannabis use, vaccination compliance - by identifying at least two key actions they can implement in their own practice.
- Participants will identify how current and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, may impact occupational health delivery and propose one potential use case or innovation applicable to their setting.
- Attendees will be able to discuss men's health as a vital component of inclusive workplace health strategies.
Discounts available for SOM members.
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01 December 2025Webinar
Introductory course from The At Work Partnership
Foundation Course in Occupational Health
Monday 1st – Tuesday 2nd December 2025 - A Two-Day Virtual Event
Chaired by Sandra Winters, Independent specialist (OH) practitioner
“Interesting, engaging, very informative, very relevant and one of the best foundation courses I have attended in my 20 years career as a nurse” – Occupational Health Nurse
The At Work Partnership is pleased to announce the new dates for this introductory course focusing on the fundamental principles of occupational health. Specifically designed to fast-track your knowledge and understanding of OH, the course will help you develop your professional abilities and maximise your contribution to your occupational health team. It will also be valuable for those planning further study in the field.
Taking place virtually over two in-depth study days, the course will guide delegates through some of the most important concepts in occupational health, including developing your legal and ethical knowledge, taking an evidence-based approach to fitness for work, sickness absence, disability and more!
Delegates will be taught by an expert team of tutors, with a wealth of invaluable occupational health knowledge, including course chair, Sandra Winters (Organisational Wellbeing), Dr John Ballard (Occupational Health [at Work] journal), Prof Diana Kloss (barrister), Dr Sarwar Chowdhury (Work Doctor Occupational Health).
For further details on the programme, view the course brochure and visit the event page at the website link below.
If you have any questions about the course, email conferences@atworkpartnership.co.uk
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE
Book and pay by 15th October and save up to £50 + VAT
Self-funded delegates from only £425 + VAT
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02 December 2025Webinar
FREE for ALL (please log in on the SOM website first).
Session details:
Speakers: Professor Holly Blake (Chair), Dr Juliet Hassard, Dr Louise Thomson.
Date/time: Tuesday 2nd December 1-2pmIn this session, we highlight selected findings from a £1.7 million funded research programme examining the causal links between workplace mental health and wellbeing practices and productivity. We will present the rationale for promoting mental health through workplace settings, including the economic impact of mental ill-health, and the business case for organisations to invest in policies and practices to support mental health at work. The national and international policy context will be outlined. We will describe the important role of line managers in supporting mental health and share findings from our research highlighting patterns in the provision of line manager training and the relationship between training line managers in mental health, and key organisational outcomes. We will share details of two evidence-based line manager training innovations: Managing Minds at Work, and The SUPPORT Business Values Framework which identifies core values and guiding principles to support a strategic, values-driven approach to workplace wellbeing. This framework identifies seven core values and guiding principles essential for embedding mental health into organisational culture through strategic leadership and HR practices. This session offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to enhance workplace mental health and wellbeing.
Speaker Biographies
Professor Holly Blake, Professor of Behavioural Medicine and a health psychologist at the University of Nottingham, in the UK. Holly is a prolific author and is listed in the Global Top 0.4% of cited scientists in ‘workforce’ research. Her research focuses on work and health, self-management of chronic conditions and digital innovations for health and wellbeing. Her work has been cited as best practice in policy documents in the UK, Europe, Asia and Australasia, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
Dr Juliet Hassard, an occupational health psychologist and Reader in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour, at Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University Belfast, in Northern Ireland. She is a sought-after speaker in the UK and Europe. Her research examines the design and development of psychologically safe and healthy workplaces through working systems, management and leadership practices, and organisational policies. Juliet has expertise in the impact, management, and prevention of work-related stress through prevention-orientated strategies.
Dr Louise Thomson, a registered Occupational Psychologist and Chartered Psychologist, an Associate Professor in Occupational Psychology at the University of Nottingham in the UK and lead academic for research support and consultancy at the Institute of Mental Health. She specialises in psychological, social and organisational issues in occupational health, mental well-being at work, job retention and return-to-work. Louise has played a role in policy development, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on both return-to-work and mental wellbeing at work.
Chair: Professor Holly Blake
FREE for ALL (please log in on the SOM website). You will then be sent the join link.
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03 December 2025Webinar
FREE for ALL (please log in on the SOM website first).
Summary of webinar:
This webinar will describe the scope and content of the new book Work, Art and Health: A Journey Through Time which is published to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Society of Occupational Medicine. This beautifully illustrated book will takes readers on an excursion to explore the world of work and its effects on health by exploring works of art from the prehistoric to the present.
Attendees will gain an understanding of how artists in different geographies and using different media have depicted people at work, how art and the world of work have evolved, and how humans have been exposed to varying hazards in different jobs between c.5500BCE and 2021.
Speaker bio:
Dr Paul J Nicholson OBE FRCP FFOM DAvMed passed professional examinations in general practice, occupational medicine and aviation medicine while serving in the RAF. He completed occupational medicine specialist training with ICI Chemicals & Polymers on Teesside. He spent most of his career with P&G, as Senior Corporate Medical Adviser UK & Ireland, then Associate Medical Director for the Beauty Care and Health Care Global Business Units in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and finally as a Medical Director for Global Medical Operations. Paul served variously as Group Representative, Secretary and Treasurer of the Teesside and then the North East SOM Groups, an elected member of Council (1993-5), Honorary Assistant Editor of Occupational Medicine (1991-2000), and President of the Society of Occupational Medicine (2000-1). He was elected three times as a board member of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, and was appointed clinical lead for the design, development and delivery of standards and accreditation for occupational health services (SEQOHS). For 20 years he was a member of the British Medical Association Occupational Medicine Committee (alternately as SOM or FOM representative, and BMA elected member) and became OMC Chair (2008-16). He was also a member of the BMA London Regional Council (2013-16). He was responsible for two BOHRF systematic reviews – occupational asthma, and occupational contact dermatitis and urticaria. In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to occupational medicine. In 2015 he was awarded Fellowship of the BMA. Paul represented his professional bodies on numerous working groups and expert panels and has published more than 185 journal articles, reviews and reports. He retired in 2016, since when he has occupied his time writing, and being chair of a residential management company of more than 400 apartments near the London Eye.
FREE for ALL. You will then be sent the joining link.
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09 December 2025Webinar
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.Professor 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.
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10 December 2025London
SOM Occupational Health Awards and Drinks Reception at the Royal College of Physicians, London
Wednesday 10th December 6-10.30pm. £25 per ticket.
Thanks to our generous sponsors OH Assessment.
The Reception will include drinks, nibbles and our annual SOM OH awards ceremony. Come along and celebrate what has been achieved by us all this year, meet old friends and new in a relaxed setting.
Dress: smart casual. Please bring your email ticket with you!
Venue Address: Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, London NW1 4LE.
Liability: neither the SOM nor the venue is able to take responsibility for injury or damage to persons or property.
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31 December 2025Webinar
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 delegateMRO 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 delegateMRO 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 delegatePolicy 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-dayOn-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.
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05 January 2026Webinar
A FOM-approved course in preparation for the FOM Diploma in Occupational Health Practice Examination (DipOHPrac).
The course covers:
- Introduction to Occupational Health
- Effects of work on health
- Clinical Occupational Health and Management
- Assessment of Actual Workplace ScenariosCourse Leaders: Dr Lanre Ogunyemi, Dr Alan Bray and Dr Steven Sadhra
Course Dates: Monday 5th January - Friday 9th January and Monday 26th January - Friday 30th January 2026 (Virtual – Online)
Price: £3,480 including VAT
Click here to view more information and register your interest.