How to improve hospital employees' health and well-being: a staff consultation.

Objective: Explore perspectives from healthcare workers in a large public hospital (11,000 staff) on employers supporting their health and well-being.

Methods: Heads of departments/services were invited to convene focus groups, facilitated by a moderator using a semi-structured discussion guide.  RESULTS: Over 450 members of staff participated in 28 focus groups.

A case management occupational health model to facilitate earlier return to work of NHS staff with common mental health disorders: a feasibility study.

Background: The NHS is the biggest employer in the UK. Depression and anxiety are common reasons for sickness absence among staff. Evidence suggests that an intervention based on a case management model using a biopsychosocial approach could be cost-effective and lead to earlier return to work for staff with common mental health disorders.

A behaviour change package to prevent hand dermatitis in nurses working in health care: the SCIN cluster RCT.

Background: Although strategies have been developed to minimise the risk of occupational hand dermatitis in nurses, their clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness remain unclear.

Objectives: The Skin Care Intervention in Nurses trial tested the hypothesis that a behaviour change package intervention, coupled with provision of hand moisturisers, could reduce the point prevalence of hand dermatitis when compared with standard care among nurses working in the NHS. The secondary aim was to assess the impact of the intervention on participants' beliefs and behaviour regarding hand care, and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention in comparison with normal care.

Current research priorities for UK occupational physicians and occupational health researchers: a modified Delphi study.

Objectives: Studies identifying national occupational health (OH) research priorities have been conducted in several countries to establish where OH research should be focused and where funding should be targeted. However, the UK findings are now over 20 years old, and OH practice is continuously evolving. The aim of this study was to identify current research priorities for UK occupational physicians (OPs) and occupational health researchers (OHRs).

A behavioural change package to prevent hand dermatitis in nurses working in the national health service (the SCIN trial): study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Hand dermatitis can be a serious health problem in healthcare workers. While a range of skin care strategies and policy directives have been developed in recent years to minimise the risk, their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness remain unclear. Evidence now suggests that psychological theory can facilitate behaviour change with respect to improved hand care practices.

Concise guidance: diagnosis, management and prevention of occupational contact dermatitis.

Occupation is an important risk factor for contact dermatitis that presents in adulthood. Occupational contact dermatitis often has significant adverse effects on quality of life and the long-term prognosis is poor unless workplace exposures are addressed. The condition often presents to general practitioners, physicians or dermatologists who will be responsible for facilitating management of the workplace issues in the event that an occupational health service is not accessible.

Measuring how well the NHS looks after its own staff: methodology of the first national clinical audits of occupational health services in the NHS.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Little is known about the quality of occupational health care provided to National Health Service (NHS) staff. We designed the first national clinical audits of occupational health care in England. We chose to audit depression and back pain as health care workers have high levels of both conditions compared with other employment sectors.

Work relatedness of chronic neck pain with physical findings--a systematic review.

Objectives: This paper systematically reviews the work-relatedness of neck-shoulder disorders with associated physical findings.

Methods: Studies incorporating a physical examination were focused upon. Four detailed reviews were searched, and a systematic search of the MEDLINE, Embase BIDS, and Psychinfo databases was conducted until May 2006, the key words for the outcome and various occupational exposures being combined.

Influenza immunisation: attitudes and beliefs of UK healthcare workers.

Aim: To explore attitudes to influenza immunisation and rates of uptake among staff working in acute hospitals in the UK.

Method: A cross-sectional survey of 11,670 healthcare workers in six UK hospitals was carried out using a postal questionnaire.

Results: Among 6302 responders (54% of those mailed), 19% had taken up influenza immunisation during winter 2002/3.

Effectiveness of an influenza vaccine programme for care home staff to prevent death, morbidity, and health service use among residents: cluster randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether vaccination of care home staff against influenza indirectly protects residents.

Design: Pair matched cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Large private chain of UK care homes during the winters of 2003-4 and 2004-5.

Epidemiological differences between back pain of sudden and gradual onset.

Objective: To explore possible differences in risk factors for low back pain according to its speed of onset.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 1366 hospital nurses in England who initially had been free from low back pain for at least one month. Risk factors were ascertained from a self-administered baseline questionnaire, and outcomes from serial followup questionnaires.

Impact of ergonomic intervention on back pain among nurses.

Objectives: This study assessed the impact of ergonomic intervention on rates of low-back pain among hospital nurses.

Methods: Altogether 1239 female nurses from two hospitals in southern England completed a baseline postal questionnaire about low-back pain and associated risk factors. Between 18 and 28 months after the baseline survey, major intervention was implemented at one hospital to minimize unassisted patient handling and high-risk nursing tasks.