Faculty of Occupational Health Nursing

🎉 Bookings Now Open! Don't miss the RCN & SOM Occupational Health Nursing Conference 2025 – the must-attend event for Occupational Health professionals. Whether you're joining us in London or tuning in online, this is your chance to connect, learn, and stay ahead in your practice. 📅 Date: 28 November 2025 📍 Location: London or Online 🔗 Reserve your place now: www.rcn.org.uk/OH25 Would you like a shorter version for social media too?

FOHN and SOM: A Strategic Partnership for Occupational Health 🤝 We’re pleased to remind our members that the Faculty of Occupational Health Nursing (FOHN) and the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) have formally joined in partnership. This collaboration strengthens our collective voice, drives impact and better supports our amazing multi-professional occupational health workforce. 🌍✨ What this means: ✅ Leverages the unique strengths of both organisations to provide a more integrated approach to workplace health and wellbeing ✅ Addresses the needs of those who commission OH services and supports the development of clinical practice and practitioners ✅ Focuses on key projects including nurse accreditation, advanced practice and workforce planning ✅ Ensures members have access to good quality OH services and leadership for the future of work and health 💼🩺 Nick Pahl, CEO of SOM, shared: “We are thrilled to partner with FOHN. By combining our resources and expertise, we can deliver even greater value to our members and stakeholders.” Amanda Hinkley, FOHN Chair, added: “This marks a significant milestone as we explore new opportunities in occupational health and create transformative solutions for the future.” 📢 The partnership was officially presented at the SOM AGM in June and the work has already begun. We will continue to keep our members informed and engaged every step of the way. 👉 Find out more: 🔗Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ezRAjyKA #FOHN #SOM #OccupationalHealth #OHN #Partnership #WorkplaceHealth #NursingLeadership #FutureOfWorkandHealth

Happy New Week OH Community! 🌟 Here’s a quick round-up from the latest HSE Weekly Digest ebulletin, sharing key updates, practical reminders and enforcement highlights to keep us all informed and ready to support safe and healthy workplaces. 📢 Weekly HSE Updates – Staying Safe at Work This week’s bulletin reminds us just how vital it is to keep safety front of mind, whether you’re working at height, managing confined spaces, or simply preparing for an unannounced inspection. 🔍 Working at Height Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities. The HSE has issued practical step-by-step guidance to help employers manage this risk sensibly and proportionately. This includes crucial advice on scaffolding stability, design requirements, and the competence of those involved in scaffolding work. ⚠️ Confined Space Incident: North Sea Platform An oil and gas operator was fined £300,000 after a dangerous incident left three crew members partially submerged in a flooded lift shaft. This highlights the ongoing need for rigorous confined space procedures and robust emergency stop systems. 🗂️ When the Inspector Calls Are you prepared for an HSE inspection? Inspectors check whether you are protecting your workers’ health, safety and welfare, and they expect to see evidence that you keep people safe every day, not just when the inspector arrives. Free resources are available, including a helpful leaflet and short animation. 📌 Health & Safety Law Poster A gentle reminder: If you employ anyone, you must display the health and safety law poster or give each worker a copy of the equivalent leaflet. 🎓 HSE In-Company Training HSE also offers tailored training for businesses, which is a useful way to boost competence and confidence across your teams. 👉 For full details and more enforcement news, you can visit the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk Let’s keep championing good practice, learning from real cases, and making sure our workplaces are as safe as they can be. 💬 Reflection for OH practitioners: How do you keep your teams aware of updated safety requirements in your day-to-day practice?

📣 Looking Ahead, Staying Involved: ✨ FOHN at the SOM/FOM Conference – 17 and 18 June 2025. FOHN board members Amanda Hinkley and Kirsten Rippin proudly attended the SOM/FOM Conference this June, held under the inspiring theme Leading Occupational Health into the Future. With FOHN entering a new strategic partnership with the Society of Occupational Medicine, this was a timely opportunity to listen, reflect, and connect with wider conversations shaping the profession. The message of forward-thinking leadership ran throughout the event. Two sessions in particular sparked deeper thought. 🧠 Professor Dame Jenny Harries delivered a compelling keynote on the future of work, touching on topics such as retirement, reoccupation, and the systems that will need to support an ageing and changing workforce. She underlined the vital contribution occupational health can make in managing these transitions. 🗣️ Dr Gail Allsopp offered another memorable session on Work as a Health Outcome, encouraging us to reconsider language and framing through her insightful take on “what’s in a name?” It prompted reflection on how occupational health is perceived, funded, and integrated into broader public health efforts. One takeaway was clear. The future of occupational health is not just clinical or medical. While occupational medicine remains a core component, OH is evolving into a truly multidisciplinary space where occupational health advisors are playing a central role. The voice of OH nursing is not only relevant, but essential. ✨This is an exciting time for our profession. Occupational health advisors are uniquely positioned to support individuals to stay in work, return to work, and thrive in their roles, while also shaping organisational culture and contributing to wider public health outcomes. Blog Post written by Kirsten Rippin – edited by Josephine (Phina) Amahoro.   #FOHN #SOMFOM2025 #OccupationalHealthNursing #FutureOfOH #WorkAndHealth #OHAImpact #LeadershipInOH.

📢 In June 2025, FOHN entered into a new strategic partnership with the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM). While FOHN will no longer be a separate legal entity, our identity and mission continue as a branded group within SOM, the SOM FOHN Nursing Group will be supported by the FOHN Committee.   This collaboration strengthens our voice, supports our members and opens new opportunities to shape the future of occupational health nursing.   To mark this next chapter, we’re launching a ‘Meet the Board’ series to introduce the passionate professionals leading FOHN forward. We begin with our Chair, Amanda.   👤 Amanda Hinkley, Chair of FOHN Job Title: Head of Occupational Health, UK Health Security Agency. 🌟 Meet Amanda: Chair of the Faculty of Occupational Health Nursing (FOHN) 🟩 WHO is Amanda? Amanda is an experienced and dedicated Occupational Health Nurse (OHN), whose journey in OH began in 1990. From her early training placements to her current leadership role, Amanda has built a career rooted in practical expertise and professional advocacy. She now serves as Chair of FOHN, following the retirement of Christina Butterworth. 🟩 WHAT has she done? Over the years, Amanda has brought her skills to a wide range of sectors – including private manufacturing, retail, aviation, telecommunications, policing, the NHS, and now the UK Health Security Agency. She’s led and contributed to national initiatives, including a review of police fitness standards and the 2016 report on Education for Occupational Health Nurses. While working with British Transport Police, Amanda played a key role in critical incident debriefs after major events such as the Docklands and Manchester Piccadilly bombings, and the Watford train crash. 🟩 WHEN did it all begin? Amanda qualified in Occupational Health in 1990 and completed her MSc in Occupational Health in 1995 at the Robens Institute, University of Surrey. Her dissertation on lower back pain in police officers was awarded Home Office funding and published that same year. 🟩 WHY does she do it? Amanda is passionate about championing OH nursing and representing the profession at a national level. As FOHN Chair, she is committed to promoting the essential role OH nurses play in supporting the health and wellbeing of the working population. 🟩 WHERE is she making an impact now? Alongside leading FOHN, Amanda contributes to the national Health and Work agenda via the Joint Health and Work Directorate. She is a mentor with the National School of Occupational Health / SOM scheme, a member of the SOM Leadership Committee, and has previously held positions including Deputy Chair of NHS Health at Work, Regional Director (London) with AOHNP (UK), and SEQOHS Assessor. 📢 As the weeks go on, we’ll continue to spotlight the different profiles that make up the FOHN Board. I hope you’re inspired by their journeys and perhaps encouraged to reflect on your own path in occupational health too!

A fascinating Multidisciplinary Teams panel discussion today at the SOM/FOM Conference in Brighton, with Ali Hashtroudi, Diana Kloss, Amanda Hinkley and Jo Vallom-Smith. SOM is a multidisciplinary organisation and welcomes all health professionals with an interest in or working/teaching in occupational health and medicine to join. Find out more here https://lnkd.in/eXtp6mp #occupationalhealth #occupationalmedicine #healthatwork #healthyworkplaces #OccHealth2025 #healthcare

🌟Mentoring matters in Occupational Health. Are you ready to make a difference? 🌟 Mentoring is a powerful way to build confidence, develop practical skills and navigate career progression in occupational health. Whether you are a nurse, doctor, technician or another OH professional, your experience could be exactly what someone else needs to take their next step. The Occupational Health Mentoring Scheme offers a structured yet flexible space for connection. It covers everything from workplace dilemmas to long-term career planning. Whether you are looking for guidance or ready to give it, this is a valuable opportunity to shape the future of OH practice and support the wellbeing of workplaces across the UK. 🔗 Find out more and get involved: https://ohcareers.info 🎥 Watch this video to hear more about how the scheme works and how you could get involved: https://lnkd.in/eCQVwHha #OccupationalHealth #OHCareers #MentorshipMatters #WorkplaceWellbeing #OHGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerSupport #OHCommunity #NursingLeadership #HealthAtWork

🎯 This Week from FOHN: Power in Partnership – Strategic Alliances Driving Change 🤝 We’re spotlighting a key development from the Council for Work and Health’s June 2025 newsletter - the formalisation of a strategic partnership between FOHN and Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM). 🔍 Following joint discussions earlier this year, including a January away day, both Boards agreed that hosting FOHN activities under SOM’s umbrella will strengthen the profession while maintaining FOHN’s distinct identity. 💡 What does this mean? FOHN will retain its name, identity and core functions, including NMC engagement, nurse accreditation support, and professional networking. SOM will now host the FOHN website and support a newly formed SOM/FOHN OH Nursing Group reporting to the SOM Council. Members of FOHN (many already SOM members) will be encouraged to make the most of this integrated approach. Amanda Hinkley, FOHN Chair, will lead the transition and continue advocating for the nursing voice across national OH discussions. We believe this marks an exciting step forward in strengthening nursing leadership in occupational health – while creating shared space to influence policy, education and standards. 📰 Most of this update is drawn from the June 2025 edition of the Council for Work and Health newsletter, which also includes: 🗳️ AGM & new Board announcements 📢 Consultation activity on Pathways to Work & Keep Britain Working 🤖 AI in OH survey by University of Manchester 📆 Webinars and events from SOM, ACPOHE, BOHS & more 👉 Read the full newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/eFPTKmsf #FOHN #SOM #CouncilForWorkAndHealth #OccupationalHealthNursing #StrategicPartnership #NMC #OHWorkforce #WorkplaceHealth #PolicyAndPractice #OHN #NursingLeadership #OHCommunity

📬 Weekly HSE Update: Your regular digest of health and safety updates relevant to OH practice. This week’s HSE ebulletin includes essential guidance for Occupational Health Professionals and others supporting workplace health and safety: 🧑🌾 Seasonal and Temporary Workers New starters are twice as likely to have an accident in their first 6 months. HSE outlines 6 keyways to protect them – vital reading for OH teams supporting temps, gig workers, and agency staff. 🔗 [Health and safety for gig economy, agency and temporary workers - Overview - HSE] ⚠️ Stone Company Fined £60,000 A sobering case where no one was leading on H&S. Workers were exposed to respirable crystalline silica, with multiple failings over six years. 👉 Updated guidance on controlling stone dust exposure: [“No-one is in charge of health and safety” – stone company fined after workshop floor covered in hazardous dust – HSE Media Centre]   🏡 Home Working – Employers Still Responsible Whether hybrid or fully remote, employers remain accountable. HSE’s latest advice covers: • DSE setup and ergonomics • Mental health and stress • Risk assessment for remote workers 🎥 Includes a short video and practical tips: [Managing your health and safety - HSE] 💼 Opportunities to Join HSE • Advisory & Enforcement Lawyer – closes 10 June • Content Designer – closes 16 June • Performance Analyst – closes 20 June See current roles: [Latest Vacancies | HSE Careers] 🏊 Guidance for Swimming Pool Safety Updated guidance now available for those managing pool facilities this summer. 📘 HSG179: [Health and safety in swimming pools - HSE] 🧭 For regular updates, follow FOHN and explore more from HSE at 🔗 https://www.hse.gov.uk/. #FOHN #OccupationalHealth #HSEupdate #OHN #WorkplaceSafety #TemporaryWorkers #RemoteWorking #RespirableDust #HealthSurveillance

🏛️ Our FOHN Chair Amanda Hinkley was honoured to attend the Houses of Parliament at the kind invitation of the Rt Hon Sir Desmond Swayne MP, Professor Sir Cary Cooper (Chair of the National Health and Wellbeing Forum), and Karl Simons (FYLD) for an important discussion on AI and workplace health. The event brought together leaders from policy, academia and industry to explore findings from the 2024 National Health and Wellbeing Forum survey, delivered in partnership with the University of Manchester’s Alliance MBS 📣 Amanda reflected: “It was a privilege and a responsibility. The venue reminded us of the impact that decisions made here have on working lives. The AI discussions echoed what many OH professionals feel. Our duty is to ensure technology enhances rather than erodes workforce wellbeing” 📊 Key survey insights 🔐 Job Security • 80% disagreed that AI threatens their job • 14% were concerned about AI replacing roles 📈 Workload and Demand • 56% disagreed AI will increase workload • 58% said AI could help manage demand • 50% expected higher cognitive demands 🤖 Autonomy and Decision Making • 80% did not fear losing autonomy • 64% believed AI will support better decisions 🧠 Health and Wellbeing • 80% said AI will not harm their mental or physical health • 21% expected stress to increase • 30% were concerned about job satisfaction 📢 Recommendations for responsible AI use ✔️ Ethical implementation ✔️ Transparent communication ✔️ Staff involvement ✔️ Wellbeing-focused strategies Amanda concluded: “AI is not something to fear but something to shape. OH professionals are in a strong position to ensure it serves people first” 👏 Thank you to NHFWB and the University of Manchester for advancing this vital national conversation #FOHN #OccupationalHealth #WorkplaceWellbeing #AI #DigitalHealth #AmandaHinkey #Leadership #OHN #NHFWB #FutureOfWork #ParliamentVisit