Growing occupational health and wellbeing strategy

NHS England’s Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing (OHWB) Together strategy is a five-year strategy to improve the health and wellbeing services for our NHS people, to keep them safe and healthy, and empowered to pass good care onto our patients. It forms part of the NHS England ambition for a proactive culture of wellbeing within the NHS People Plan and People Promise.

The strategy helps NHS organisations to fully realise the value that occupational health and wellbeing professional services contribute to the NHS and is a united vision and call to action to invest in and grow OHWB services.

NHS Employers has supported the development of the OHWB strategy and support NHS England’s call to action to invest in and grow OHWB services and OHWB professionals to ensure our NHS people are safe and healthy.

Growing OHWB Together strategy forms a mandate for action for integrated care systems (ICSs) and NHS organisations as part of whole system workforce planning, having been included as part of 2023/24 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance. This demonstrates the importance placed in looking after the health and wellbeing of all our NHS people in the workplace.

You can find out more by joining the online Growing OHWB community and learn more about the wider NHS people health and wellbeing agenda.

Development opportunities:

NHS England has committed to continue to invest in NHS employed multi-professional OHWB community, including supporting wider healthcare professionals who are interested in a career in occupational health. Below are details of some development opportunities for practitioners:

• Nurses: diploma in occupational health practice - the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) has launched a new diploma in occupational health practice, which aims to develop the skills of registered healthcare professionals. It is designed to enable nursing professionals to move into and practice in occupational health services and help those already working in occupational health to progress their career. 
  Dates: 23 to 27 January 2023 and 6 to 10 February 2023.
• Physicians: diploma in occupational medicine - the two-week intensive course is designed to support doctors to practice in occupational medicine. This foundation-level diploma demonstrates a competence appropriate to a generalist working in occupational health and prepares candidates for the written and oral examinations based on a portfolio. 
  Dates: 20 February to 3 March 2023.
• Managers: certificate in managing occupational health services - this is a three-day certificate programme designed to equip managers of occupational health and wellbeing services with the essential management tools to deliver a successful service. The programme builds on professional training, and develops the additional skills needed to function effectively in the working environment.
  Dates: 1 to 3 March 2023.
• Creating compelling business cases for growing your OHWB services - This workshop will enable participants to create the right mindset, build the skills and provide the tools to creating impactful and compelling business cases for investment into services.
  Dates: Tuesday 1 November 10:30-12:00pm, Wednesday 2 November 10:30-12:00pm or Wednesday 09 Nov 10:30-12:00pm.
• Influencing strategically as an OHWB professional - This workshop will help participants first identify key stakeholders and by analysing knowledge on individual differences use influencing techniques to create a narrative for a maximum impact.
  Dates: Tuesday 22 November 10:30-12:00pm, Wednesday 23 November 10:30-12:00pm or Wednesday 30 Nov 10:30-12:00pm.
• Business acumen for leaders of OHWB services - This workshop will help participants to create the mindset that they are a person of business, who can sustain, expand and grow their service and enable them to develop business plans for future growth.
  Dates: Tuesday 17 January 2023 10:30-12:00pm, Wednesday 18 January 2023 10:30-12:00pm or Wednesday 25 January 2023 10:30-12:00pm.

For further information please contact: growing.ohwb@nhs.net

Further resources:

• NHS Employers' occupational health web page.