An Introduction to the Occupational Health Service

Background Information

The University of Oxford OHS covers the work carried out by staff, postgraduate students, undergraduate students (when they work alongside postgraduates and staff), academic visitors, and (by negotiation) certain associated units and external organisations. The OHS supports the University in complying with health and safety law and with employment law and forms part of the University’s risk management process.

Occupational health issues are becoming an increasing priority for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). For example, HSE’s long-term occupational health strategy for England, Scotland and Wales sets out five headline targets to be achieved by employers by 2010, with half the reduction by 2004:

  1. 20% reduction in the incidence of work-related ill health
  2. 20% reduction in ill health to members of the public caused by work activity
  3. 30% reduction in the number of work days lost due to work-related ill health
  4. everyone currently in employment but off work due to ill health or disability is, where necessary and appropriate, made aware of opportunities for rehabilitation back into work as early as possible
  5. everyone currently not in employment due to ill health or disability is, where necessary and appropriate, made aware of and offered opportunities to prepare for and find work

In broad general terms, OHSs advise on all matters concerning the effects of work on health, and the effects of health on work. They work, to the benefit of both employer and employee, to prevent work-related ill-health by:

  1. advising on the control of potential health risks at work,
  2. detecting occupational disease at an early stage, and
  3. advising on ill-health (work-related or unrelated to work) in the workplace.

As well as its own defined role, the University OHS works jointly with other central services, to the benefit of health, safety and welfare. The OHS also liaises with local GPs, hospitals and other NHS services to the benefit of individual staff and their departments.

Medical care

OHSs in the UK do not provide general medical care. All University staff and students should register with a general practitioner, who acts as the gateway to NHS hospital and other specialist services.

University of Oxford OHS

OHS staff will visit the University’s central Oxford sites, the JR campus, the South Headington campus, and certain peripheral sites in or near Oxford. The service itself is based at:

10 Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PD
Telephone:   01865 282676
Fax:  01865 282678 
Email:  enquiries@uohs.ox.ac.uk or physician@uohs.ox.ac.uk

The services currently offered to the University are:

1) Screening for employment

a) Review of pre-employment health declaration forms, any necessary follow-up and reports
b) Review of risk assessment and health surveillance registration forms for laboratory and certain other workers, any necessary additional health assessment, initiating any necessary recall for health surveillance and immunisations and any necessary reports.

2) Statutory health surveillance

Full health surveillance including diagnostic tests and specialist medical review, maintenance of health records, biological monitoring (e.g. in people exposed to mercury), biological effect monitoring (e.g. lung function testing for people exposed to allergens), advice to the department and individual on the review of work practices when control parameters exceeded, and managing the recall system.

3) Referrals

a) Advice on individuals referred by department heads, departmental administrators, or personnel officers, and provision of a written medical report.
b) Assessments of individuals in their workplace in order to advise on modifications relevant to their medical condition
c) Self-referral service for work-related health problems and provision of a written medical report to the department (subject to informed consent) as required
d) Advice on immunisation requirements, anti-malarial prophylaxis and other matters relevant to fieldwork abroad and other University travel
e) Contact with primary care and hospitals in order to obtain relevant medical information about individuals (subject to informed consent) as required

4) Interventions and treatment

a) Immunisations appropriate for certain groups, such as medical students and laboratory workers, with relevant immunity tests
b) Immunisations and anti-malarials appropriate for travel on University business
c) Treatment for certain laboratory injuries

5) Incidents and outbreaks

a) Assisting in the response to dangerous incidents/hazardous exposures
b) Investigation of suspected clusters of work-related ill-health

6) Informal advice

a) Telephone, email and other informal advice on work-related health matters to department heads, departmental administrators, safety officers, personnel officers, or other University staff on occupational health matters affecting groups or individuals
b) Telephone, email and other informal advice to individuals on work-related health matters

7) Hazard/risk assessment

Assisting in the assessment of hazards/risks associated with work

8) Attendance at committees and other meetings

a) Occupational health input to policy by attendance at relevant central committees and departmental committees.  Attendance at other agreed meetings to give advice on occupational health implications of legislation, and on other matters.
b) Case-conferences to review occupational health matters relevant to individuals

9) Statutory reporting

Initiating the statutory reporting process of certain occupational diseases to HSE. Making any necessary statutory reports of communicable disease to the relevant public health authorities.

10) Information exchange and co-ordination of services

a) Regular liaison with relevant central services to review policies, procedures and the effective co-ordination of health and safety and personnel matters within the University.
b) Regular liaison with the University’s academic departments
c) Regular liaison with other university OHSs, OHSs in other sectors, and relevant professional and scientific bodies for the benefit of the University
d) Regular provision of anonymised group statistical data and reports for the maintenance and improvement of the health, safety and welfare of University staff and students
e) Liaison, as required, with the Health and Safety Executive, the Disability Services team and other external government agencies
f) Liaison with NHS agencies, including the public health authorities, as required

11) Policies, guidance, training and information

a) Preparation of written University policy and guidance documents
b) Provision of training sessions
c) Production of web pages and other information, such as information leaflets for individuals

12) Internal audit

Monitoring compliance with relevant regulations concerning the professional competence of clinical OHS staff.  Management of all staff development, personnel, financial and premises matters related to the OHS.