Spent 20 minutes live on Radio Bristol on Thursday 24.01.13 (12.32pm) talking about occupational health – Steve Yabsley introduced me having worked in the field for nearly 30 years- general chat about occupational health and safety.
Link below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013j6yb
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Press Release (7.11.12)
A Bristol occupational health nurse specialist has been named among the top three in the UK.
Clare, who runs her own firm Clare Haddow Occupational Health Specialists (CHOHS Ltd) – in Henleaze – works in a profession credited with reducing long-term sickness in industry by up to 50 per cent.
She was named on the shortlist of three for Occupational Health Nurse of the Year in the Occupational Health Awards 2012.
Clare has been recognised for producing informative and groundbreaking guidance for both employers and employee which reduce much of the confusion and mystery surrounding occupational health.
This is not the first time Clare has been shortlisted in these awards – in the inaugural year of the ceremony, 2007, she was nominated indirectly by a client for her work with them.
She said: “I am passionate about occupational health and it is lovely to be recognised by one’s fellow peers and to have been short listed.
“As a business we aim to listen to our clients’ needs and offer appropriate occupational health advice as we understand that in today’s climate the health of one’s workforce is important. We try to assist in reducing sickness absence and we offer advice to employers with regard reasonable adjustments with those returning from episodes of ill health, whether physical or mental health issues.”
Occupational health professionals like Clare will typically visit companies, ensuring that best practices are being carried out by the firm and offer advice to ensure staff can carry out tasks without risk of harm.
She said: “Much of my time is spent on clients’ sites and seeing their employees for a private and confidential occupational health consultation. It could be that an employee is about to return to work or at work although not 100% and employers want advice to ensure that their employees are working within their individual capabilities.
“We also see employees for health surveillance following the company’s risks assessments and if there is a need to undertake skin surveillance, lung function tests and hearing tests. Occupational health in short is trying to ensure that the physical and mental health of an employee is not affected by the work that they do.”
Clare originally trained in her home city of Edinburgh where she qualified as a nurse before undertaking her occupational health nursing at Manchester Polytechnic. She has lived in Bristol for 18 years.
It was during a secondment to Chile with her husband and family that she took a business qualification which spurred her on to set up her own firm.
She works with colleague Ann Morrison and the firm also has Associates who work for her clients around the UK. All the nurses who work for CHOHS Ltd are Specialist Occupational Health Practitioners on the 3rd Part of the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC).
She said: “I have always had a vision for providing occupational health to organisations of all sizes although mainly the small to medium businesses. I set up as self employed in 2002 and then became a private limited company in 2007.
“Our customers are able to deal directly with a company that knows about occupational health and finding solutions to health issues/problems at work.”
In 2004 the Association of British Insurers (ABI) looked at companies using occupational health providers to reduce sickness absence by active case management. They concluded that these schemes can lead to a 10-40% reduction in compensation costs. Both long term sickness absence and litigation were reduced by up to 50%, and insurance costs were reduced by up to 40%.
Clare said: “In the future I want to continue to provide the best occupational health service we can to our clients with the support of the specialist occupational health nurses who work with me on delivering this service. To continue to listen to our both our clients, who are the employers and employees, and ensure the advice we offer is appropriate.”
Clare Haddow was a guest speaker at the Royal College of Nurses – Occupational Health Nurses Group – Southwest (RCN OHN Group SW) study day, titled ‘Occupational Health: A developing service’ on 1st October 2009 at Oake Manor Golf Club. She gave a presentation on ‘Managing Sickness Absence’, reflecting on her work with Radstock Co-operative Society. Clare received positive evaluation for her contribution to the study day, praised for how beneficial her talk was for fellow Occupational Health Professionals.
Clare Haddow Occupational Health Specialists relocated to our new Bristol offices in May, enabling us to expand upon the range of services we offer to our clients.
Clare Haddow was asked by the Federation of Small Business to give presentation on ‘What is Occupational Health?’ on 22nd April at their Business Advice Day at Gloucester’s Rugby ground.
Clare Haddow of CHOHS Ltd attended the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Annual Conference at the Celtic Manor in Newport on 20th March 2009. She was on the panel in the Seminar- Dispelling Health and Safety Myths.
Left to right: Mary Boughton (Chair) Clare Haddow (OH Specialist, CHOHS Ltd ) and Don Garman, Managing Director (Safety Services Group).
The Radstock Co-operative Society was short listed for the Occupational Health Rehabilitation award. CHOHS Ltd is their occupational health provider.
Left to right: Sheri Smart (HR & Training Adviser) Vicki Przytocki (Head of HR) and Clare Haddow (OH Specialist, CHOHS Ltd) December 2007
The judge Judith Howard-Rees commented that:
“This is an example of employer leadership and use of an independent OH nurse consultant. It emphasises the specialist OH expertise used to create the vital link between NHS services and the employer’s duty of care within the commercial setting, benefiting both the employee and the organisation.”
Clare Haddow was asked by Daltons Business magazine to write a piece for their magazine below is an extract written by Clare Haddow from their article ‘Spring clean ….and cut sickies’:
“To help prevent repetitive strain injury when using your computer, check your phone, mouse, screen and keyboard are all positioned correctly. Making sure you office chairs are comfortable, support the back properly and are set at the right height for the worker is crucial in helping prevent muscular skeletal problems. Although it may not make you popular, Clare Haddow also recommends putting rubbish pins and printers a short distance from desks. This will encourage staff to stretch their muscles during the working day.”