One of the things I’m most looking forward to in the new year is being able to meet in person the colleagues and friends we have made over the past 16 years of running the Health and Wellbeing at Work event at the NEC. Whilst our virtual event in March 2021 was a resounding success, nothing really beats the buzz of 4000 delegates over two days coming together to exchange ideas, learn from best practice and catch up with fellow occupational health professionals.
This year we have developed an exciting programme that reflects the seismic change that has transformed the way we work and the environment we work in. We live in disruptive times and rebuilding the resilience and wellbeing of employees as they return to work will be paramount. Professor Neil Greenberg returns to headline our new Building Resilience programme, with Dr Noreen Tehrani discussing the role of psychological surveillance in building resilience. Mental health continues as a growing burden on employees and businesses alike, with financial instability, job insecurity and domestic abuse all on the rise. Jaguar Land Rover have tried multiple interventions to support employees, and it’s CMO Dr Steve Iley offers an insight into what did and didn’t work and how to deploy best practice in your own organisation. It’s always great to learn from people’s personal stories and this year will be no exception. As a survivor of a forced marriage, Bal Kaur Howard shares her own harrowing story and explains how employers can support victims of domestic and honour-based abuse in the workplace. Men can also be victims of abuse and Mark Brooks OBE offers a greater understanding of the barriers they can face and how to better support, recognise and signpost them.
It is heartening to see that both Government and employers are starting wake up with regard to women’s health issues and we are delighted to announce the launch of a new Women’s Health programme this year. Henpicked’s Deborah Garlick joins forces with enei to provide an update on breaking the menopause bias, highlighting potential legislation changes and what this might mean for employers. Optima Health’s Columba Urey discusses the impact of menopause and peri-menopause on mental health within a work context, together with some practical workplace strategies to manage this. Atkins Global’s Jennifer McClellan teams up with Hallam’s Natasha Knowles to offer a personal and professional perspective on pregnancy loss, whilst See Her Thrive’s Clare-Louise Knox looks at how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, how it can affect employees and what support employers should provide. Transport for London’s Dr Chami Rathmalgoda profiles TfL’s management of employees
Many employers are facing the inevitable challenge of managing employees with Long-COVID. Professor Paul Cullinan’s Lungs at Work team draw upon their experience as the UK’s busiest occupational lung disease service, covering the breadth of occupational respiratory issues within the pandemic, from detection and surveillance, assessment and diagnosis through to short and long term management. They explain how they have had to adapt their approach post-COVID, especially workplace spirometry. Guy’s and St Thomas’ Dr Ali Hashtroudi has been responsible for developing and implementing their Long-COVID clinic dedicated to NHS staff and shares his team’s experiences as well as a glimpse into future challenges. Health Psychologist Dr Julie Denning profiles some innovative interventions to enable employees with Fybromyalgia to return to work while sleep expert Dr David Lee examines the correlation between Long-COVID and sleep disorders and how we can help employees to overcome these. Also look out for iOH President Neil Loach discussing the benefits of Clinical Supervision and the role this plays in enhancing clinical outcomes and clinical staff retention.
We are really looking forward to welcoming you back to the event in March so be sure to visit www.healthwellbeingwork.co.uk to view the whole programme – registration is now open with early bird rates available.
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