In 2010, the Faculty of Occupational Medicine launched a set of robust standards for occupational health services to deliver a Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS) and provide accreditation to those businesses that met all the criteria of these standards.
Today, the SEQOHS accreditation scheme is an integral part of the occupational health service landscape and is recognised as the industry gold standard.
Unity is proud to have held the SEQOHS accreditation since 2015, whereby we undertake an annual accreditation review and every five years undertake a comprehensive revalidation assessment overseen by the validators.
What is SEQOHS and what does it mean to employers? The following information has been compiled from https://www.seqohs.org/ to explain why we at Unity feel the standard is very important to the field of Occupational Health.
A healthy workforce has been shown to promote increased productivity and performance in organisations. Employers in all sectors e.g.: public, private and charitable sectors, may seek advice on how to enable those with health conditions and disabilities to be supported in work, and to ensure that disability related legislation is complied with. Employers will also know they have a Statutory duty to keep employees healthy and safe whilst in work, and to manage and mitigate where possible risks in the workplace that are likely to give rise to work-related ill health. Although occupational health services vary in the type of service, where and how this is delivered, the core elements are advising on the effect of health on an employee’s work and protecting health in work.
Protecting the health of employees includes new starter and regular fitness for work assessments for safety critical roles and health surveillance for risks identified on an employer’s risk assessments (such as Hand Arm Vibration).
Health Surveillance. The law requires statutory medical surveillance to be conducted for specific work-related hazards such as asbestos, lead, and ionising radiation. The health surveillance must be carried out by a competent occupational physician appointed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), called an ‘appointed doctor’. Employers have a statutory duty to provide occupational health surveillance if their employees are working with a known risk or hazard e.g.: Noise, Respiratory Sensitisers, power tools, skin irritants, etc. Employers are also required by Law to manage and prevent physical and mental ill health in their workers that may occur as a result of their business activities.
Supporting employees with health conditions and/or disability includes pre-placement assessments to advise on any need for adjustments on starting a new role, providing clinical and workplace assessments on referral by the employer, and recommending suitable workplace adjustments where appropriate and if business circumstances permit, to support compliance with employment and equality legislation.
Ill health retirement is a specific health assessment for eligibility for early payment of pension benefits on the grounds of permanent ill health, as determined by the regulations for the employer’s scheme.
Interventions to restore health to support rehabilitation, which may include physiotherapy and psychotherapy wellbeing services.
Promoting the health of employees includes advising on job design, workplace stress management, musculoskeletal health, and assessments of the health of night shift workers. Advice on promoting healthy lifestyles might include specific campaigns, and guidance on health policy development.
Training and education where Occupational health can work with employers to provide or signpost for education to support both managers and employees with mental and physical health at work and in managing workplace stress.
Other services could include contributing to policies on sickness absence, health and safety and infection control.
Like other industry and business quality standards, SEQOHS accreditation provides assurance that the accredited occupational health provider:
If you have any questions about SQOHS or any other occupational health services for your business, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01603 250015 to discuss your requirements or email us at mail@unityoccupationalhealth.com
For more information on the law relating to health and safety and the range of risks to health in the workplace, please go to the Health and Safety Executive website (www.hse.gov.uk)
