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DRAFT
Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace
Occupational Health and Strategy Implementation Group (OHSSIG)
Minutes of Meeting 17 – 25 September 2003 –Education and Conference
Centre, Stirling Royal Infirmary.
Present
Ewan Macdonald SALUS, Chair
Miriam O’Connor NHS Health Scotland.
Ray Watkins SEHD
Bill Welsh SEHD Secretariat
Stan Hughes SEHD Secretariat
Barbara Healey HSE
Susan Russell GMB Scotland
Gordon Wenham RCN
Apologies
Graham Pirie Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists
Thelma McGuire Lothian NHS OH Service
Anne Gent Highland Primary Care NHS Trust
Arthur Johnston SEHD
Tony Wells NHS Tayside
Mairi Gaffney PABS, Co-ordinator
Carol Mochan British Dietetic Association
1. Welcome
Ewan Macdonald welcomed the members to the meeting, and welcomed back Susan Russell.
Ewan introduced Stan Hughes who was replacing Rebecca Ryan.to the group.
2. Minutes of previous meetings
The minutes of meeting 17 were agreed.
3. Matters arising from minutes
3.1 Appointment to PABS secondment.
The group was informed that Mairi Gaffney had been appointed to the PABS secondment
post and would start on the 1st of October.
3.2 Violence and Aggression Project
Mirriam O’Connor informed the group that CD’s (Interactive and non-interactive) and Formatted: Bullets and Numbering
Posters had been distributed to 150 pilot sites, as part of 6 week pilot, which would be
completed by the 17th of November. An interim report was expected by the 7th of Nov. Issues
flagged in the interim report will allow time to fine tune the process for an Official Launch in
December. The Minister had been written to with a request for him to do the launch, and a
reply was awaited. Logos on the CD’s are currently: - OHSAS, OHSSIG & NHSScotland. It
was felt that was could be confusing to some people unfamiliar with the groups and it was
agreed that having NHSScotland along with “Toward a Safer Healthier Workplace” would
be sufficient.
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Action - Miriam O’Connor to change logo on the CD’s..
4. Violence and Aggression Projects
4.1 Working Group
The group agreed to be set up a robust process to evaluate the violence and aggression
projects. It was agreed to set up a working group to discuss the findings of the projects.
The agreed members are: Susan Russel, Ray Watkins (Chair), Barbara Healey, Anne
Gent & Mairi Gaffney.
Action - Mairi Gaffney to draft letter providing the project groups with core issues
for inclusions in their reports. OHSSIG should convey clear outcomes and
recommendations, which echoes the thrust of the group’s discussion.
Action - Mairi Gaffney The working group would consider how the results should
be disseminated, the SHOW website for example.
Action – Mairi Gaffney The working group should also consider whether the results
could be promoted at the Partnership Conference in January, utilising posters etc.
4.2 OHSSIG Away Day.
The group agreed to an away day to discuss ways to progress the OHSS agenda. Main
topics of discussion will be boosting and enhancing service and developing structure. Part
of the day will be dedicated to a revised work plan.
Action – OHSSIG Away Day planned for Tue evening 27th January 2004, and all
day Wednesday 28th January. The suggested venue, still to be confirmed, was St
Andrew’s Bay Hotel.
4.3 RIDDOR Data.
ISD & HSE statisticians currently collaborating on the data to validate it. It is the intention to
publish MDS in November, it would therefore be useful to have RIDDOR cross checked and
validated.
Action – Bill Welsh to check with ISD.
4.4 Reference Group for OHSSIG issues affecting Healthcare Workers.
The group discussed the scope and agenda for a generic reference group of experts to be set
up in Scotland to review policy and provide expert advice. There is a wealth of expertise in
Scotland which can be utilised as a resource, as Scotland leads the way in many OH issues,
for example to provide advice on the implementation of policy affecting Scottish Health Care
Workers. However, it was not the intention to replace UK APCG, rather to supplement its
recommendations to ensure full ‘buy in’ from the NHSScotland.
Action – It was agreed to draft a paper for circulation to the group setting the proposal
in context and to arrange a meeting with public health interests to come to an agreed
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way forward. A working group comprising Susan Russell, Miriam O’Connor,
Barbara Healey, Ray Watkins and Bill Welsh to take this forward.
4.5 HRF Mapping exercise – brief update
Gordon Wenham advised that a finalised version is not available as yet. The Mapping paper
is currently being written for better clarity, for launch at the Partnership Conference. No
groups are accountable through SPF, accountability is to HRF. However it is a requirement
for some groups to do work for SPF which also do work for HRF. The OHSSIG reports
directly to the HRF only. The Staff side of OHSSIG are to have a meeting to elect a co-chair
to the OHSSIG.
4.6 Latex
It was agreed to set up a small group to deal with Latex. A draft remit would be circulated for
comment. The working group would comprise Susan Russell (chair), Angela Forsyth,
Kenneth Flemming, Sandy Elder and a nomination from CSA Healthcare supplies with
support from Stan Hughes.
Action – Any documentation regarding latex be sent to Susan Russell.
Action – Stan Hughes -The group should be set up and the group’s remit circulated
as soon as possible.
5. PABS Minimum Dataset & Peer Review Consultation workshop review.
5.1 Peer Review Workshops
Ewan MacDonald mentioned that three workshops had been held on these topics in
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Attendance had been light but there had been good
quality feedback. The minimum Dataset was on track to issue in November. The Peer Review
consultation was due to end on the 31st of October and comments were welcome. Three pilot
peer reviews were due to take place before the end of December. The intention was to issue
final agreed proposals in late Spring / early Summer. It was agreed to seek to present this to
the HRF and Chief executive to get their buy in. It was important to remember that we were
at the beginning of a process and the standard would be added to and evolved over time.
Susan Russell advised that the GMB would be providing comments.
5.2 Review of Occupational Health and Safety Services.
There was discussion about the review of Occupational Health and Safety Services and the
“Healthy Working Lives” concept. It was agreed to issue the papers on these which had been
approved by the HRF.
6 Consultation Workshop Report
Thoughts and comments of this draft document (circulated) are welcome. Feedback should be
returned by the middle of October to Stan Hughes.
7 Manual Handling – the next theme project.
It was suggested that a literature review be commissioned on manual handling. This will
identify good practice and adopt it. A budget of 10K is allocated at the moment to go towards
research. It was debated whether this was to small, however the up-side is that the research
could probably be done quickly, comprising rapid information gathering. Much of the
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research will hopefully have already been done. However risks which are particular to our
services need to be identified also, (although this should, however, be highlighted in the
actual project bid). The group agreed the proposals in principle.
Action – Bill Welsh to circulate manual handling research proposals. Any comments
should be returned to him by 3rd October.
8. Any Other Business.
The establishment of a common transferable record system was discussed. It was agreed to
note the progress on the DOH smart card system and progress the paper record transfer.
9. Next Meeting
4th December 2003. Stirling Education and Conference Centre room 2 from 10.00am until
3.00pm.
Scottish Executive Health Department
October 2003.
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