Events

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

Summary 

There is an emerging picture of overlap e.g. autism, ADHD and health issues such as chronic fatigue, brain-fog, concentration, anxiety difficulties. Overlapping symptoms can confuse psychological with physiological causes. Neurodivergent people, who are more likely to have hypermobility, connective tissue and autoimmune conditions, have also been disproportionately impacted by long COVID, which can exacerbate or bring on these symptoms. 

The rise in neurodiversity cases since the pandemic is in part due to increased awareness, but also because psychiatric symptoms have worsened due to this overlap. Very little is known about these emerging co-occurrences but preliminary evidence suggests that we can get people back to work and improve their capacity with a range of simple treatments, escalating to more complex interventions such as rTMS for the most severely affected. 

Given the absence crisis, identification of cases in Occupational Health and correct referral to treatment could be transformational. Follow this link for an introductory paper on the overlap between neurodiversity and inflammatory conditions, and how these affect cognition and functioning: Prevalence and treatment response of neuropsychiatric disorders in mast cell activation syndrome - ScienceDirect

Chair: Dr Nancy Doyle C. Psychol.

Nancy Doyle holds a visiting Professorship at Birkbeck and is a Registered Occupational Psychologist. She founded Genius Within, a neurodiversity at work specialist consultancy business which sees thousands of referrals each year. Nancy has reached out to the medical profession to try to understand why, after 25 years in practice, she is suddenly seeing not just a rise in cases, but an increase in severity of concentration and fatigue within her client group.
Nancy will be joined by Dr Stephanie Barrett, an award winning, highly trained and widely experienced consultant rheumatologist and general physician and an industry leader in the field of rheumatology, osteoporosis and inflammatory arthritis.

She is an expert in Fibromyalgia, hypermobility and Post-Covid fatigue. Dr Barrett is at the forefront of new technologies and treatments for conditions such as Fibromyalgia, chronic pain and post-Covid fatigue. She is a specialist in rTMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).
Formerly a lead consultant of rheumatology at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, she is currently the Medical Director of the Chelsea Rheumatology Clinic and founder of The Brainwave Clinic in Harley Street, working with like minded rheumatology colleagues. She is included in all the published Tatler’s 250 top doctors guides.

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

Summary: 

Adventure Neuropsychology offers a fresh way to approach mental health in the workplace.  Stress, overwhelm, imposter syndrome all take their toll in our personal and professional lives, and the cumulative effects can impact longer-term mental and physical wellbeing.  Well-intentioned mental health interventions may sometimes provide little more than 'sticking plaster' solutions to deeper issues. Psychologist and adventure neuroscience specialist Dave Gallagher explores how insights from those who thrive in adventurous and extreme environments can help organisations better understand stress, decision-making, and mental health at work.

Drawing on research from neuropsychology, stress physiology, and his own experience working in the outdoors with mountain medics, extreme sports athletes, and even vulnerable or traumatised individuals who benefit from adventure-based interventions, Dave reframes workplace stress through a new lens: the brain’s ability to switch between coping and thriving states.The webinar introduces neuroscientific principles and practical approaches that can help cultivate a culture where people feel supported, connected, and able to take on challenges in a more adventurous and purposeful way.

Bio:
Dave Gallagher is a Chartered Psychologist and Cognitive Neuroscientist, specialising in performance under extreme stress. His work sits at the intersection of extreme environments/extreme sports performance, trauma recovery and mental wellbeing, taking an Adventure Neuropsychology approach that examines how the brain functions, adapts and even thrives when exposed to challenge. Dave combines field research with applied practice, working with extreme sports, mountain medics, military veterans with PTSD, and youth and community groups who use adventure to build confidence and restore wellbeing. He brings this experience into organisations to help them better understand stress, decision-making and psychological resilience both in high pressure settings and everyday working lives. 
 

Chair: Chris Terry

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

We'd like to thank our sponsor - Orchid Live. Orchid Live is specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1.5 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com

Overview::

If you want to build a healthy culture at work, where people thrive in high performing teams, leaders need to be proactive - caring and daring. 

Join us - find out what leaders need to embed the skills and qualities for their teams to thrive.

We’ll look at the critical skills to lead with a wellbeing lens including: 
creating an environment that’s psychologically safe
being confident in supportive conversations about mental health & wellbeing 
adapting leadership style so that your people can be their best

We’ll explore questions like:
what stops people reaching out to a colleague when they notice that they’re struggling?
what happens when a leader ignores banter about mental ill-health?
how can leaders be proactive to reduce the stressors at work?

You’ll discover the kind of results to expect from a comprehensive programme that develops learning and embeds best practice over time.

Come along to this webinar, and leave confident in what you’re doing well, inspired to implement fresh ideas.

Date: 18th March 2026
Time: 12 noon
Via Microsoft Teams
 

Speakers:

Angus Robinson
Executive Chairman

Angus is expert in developing a healthy workplace where people thrive and organisations succeed. With an engineering background he has a proven track record in business creation and growth.  He previously worked in General Management, Engineering, Technical, and Commercial roles in multi-national companies including in the nuclear, medical, engineering and manufacturing sectors. 

Amy McDonald
Founder & CEO

Amy inspires people to find their voice and shift mindset - head and heart, to ensure a fair and inclusive workplace.  
She creates the conditions for individuals and teams to engage, develop and grow, so that people thrive and organisations succeed.  Amy has a background in business, mediation, coaching and theatre - bringing issues to life using drama for safe learning.

Chair: Dr Kevin Teoh

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The 24th Asian Congress on Occupational Health (ACOH) will be held on the 5th - 8th August 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Sarawak, Malaysia.

With the theme ”Shaping a Sustainable Future: Global Perspectives on Occupational Health",  this triennial congress promises insightful discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration opportunities aimed at advancing the field of Occupational Health in the region.

The congress will comprise keynote sessions, plenaries, symposiums, poster and oral presentations with invited speakers from all over the globe.

The event is expected to draw more than 1,200 international and local participants comprising practitioners in Occupational Health, Occupational Medicine, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Health, Occupational Safety and related fields.

Participants to the 24th ACOH will also have the opportunity to experience the majestic natural beauty of the lush, biodiverse rainforest, home to unique flora and fauna such as the orangutan, proboscis monkey and Rafflesia - the largest flower in the world.

For more details and to register your interest, visit the event's official website at www.aaoeh.org.