The SOM Podcast

In this episode of the SOM Podcast, Joanna Vallom-Smith, Professional Advisor for Health and Work at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), is joined by experienced occupational therapists Lisa Harrison and Emily Kenworthy.Together, they explore how occupational therapists (OTs) contribute to occupational health (OH) teams, specifically focusing on management referrals. The conversation highlights new joint guidance published by the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) and RCOT that outlines the vast scope of OT practice in workplace settings.The panel discusses how OTs operate across various settings from large NHS trusts to small private practices, supporting employees facing complex physical, mental, or cognitive health challenges that impact their work. Rather than focusing strictly on a medical diagnosis, OTs utilize a functional, person-centred approach grounded in the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model and activity analysis.This enables them to evaluate what an employee can do and identify the precise barriers preventing successful, safe, and sustainable employment. Finally, the guests unpack the clear return on investment (ROI) that OTs bring to multidisciplinary occupational health teams.By offering early interventions, functional capacity evaluations, workplace assessments, and tailored recommendations for reasonable adjustments, OTs help businesses reduce sickness absence and maintain productivity.The episode concludes with practical advice on how employers and HR professionals can source qualified OTs or design functional job descriptions to integrate OT expertise into their workplace health services.  Key TakeawaysFocus on Function Over Diagnosis: Occupational therapy evaluates how a health condition impacts daily tasks and work ability, placing functional performance ahead of a medical label. The PEO Model & Activity Analysis: OTs use specialized frameworks like the Person-Environment-Occupation model to break down job tasks into physical, cognitive, and emotional components to identify exact workplace barriers. Holistic & Triangulated Approach: Assessment involves a balance of subjective employee feedback, objective standardized testing, and real-world workplace observations. Tangible ROI for Employers: Early OT intervention and practical workplace adjustments prevent long-term sickness absence, support retention, and offer valuable guidance for line managers. Recruiting OT Talent: Employers should write job descriptions based on required functional duties (e.g., vocational rehabilitation, case management) rather than rigid professional titling.  Call to ActionRead the Guidance: Download the joint SOM/RCOT guidance document on occupational therapy in occupational health. Find a Specialist: Search the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Directory or the Society of Occupational Medicine provider list to locate a qualified occupational therapist near you.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall.--Links mentioned in the podcast:SOM Occupational Health Awards - ENTER by 2nd November. BOOK tickets for SOM Christmas Drinks ReceptionSOM Scottish Group ASM: The Future of Work and Health, Friday 20th November 8.45am-5pm - register hereRCN and SOM OH Nursing Conference 2026, Friday 27th November 9am-4.15pm - register hereA major review update, Keep Britain Working: a national growth opportunity  warns that once someone leaves a job due to sickness, their chances of returning fall to under four per cent.Want to get involved in the peer review process for OM? Being a reviewer can be a highly rewarding experience, particularly for early career professionals. You will also be contributing to protecting the integrity of published scientific literature. The Journal runs a bi annual Reviewers’ training workshop and candidates from around the world are welcome. Interested? Email [email protected] SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

In this monthly Continuing Professional Development (CPD) episode of the SOM Podcast, host Steve Randall talks with Rebecca Burton, a qualified occupational health advisor with over 11 years of experience and a clinical trainer for Diagtech. The conversation centres around spirometry screening in occupational health settings and explores why traditional diagnostic criteria are increasingly being superseded by modern statistical approaches.Rebecca details the fundamental shift from using a fixed percentage cut-off (such as 70% or 75% of predicted values) to implementing Z-scores for evaluating lung function. She explains how fixed thresholds fail to account for natural age-related lung decline or physiological variations based on height and sex at birth. This oversight frequently leads to false positives in older workers and dangerous under-diagnosis or false negatives in younger, fitter employees who may be exposed to workplace hazards like respirable crystalline silica or flour dust.The discussion highlights recent shifts in clinical standards, noting that joint guidelines from the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and European Respiratory Society (ERS) formally replaced percentage-predicted models with Z-scores in 2022, a move endorsed by the Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP) in 2025. Rebecca emphasises that occupational health practitioners must look beyond simple software outputs, evaluate longitudinal changes in lung capacity over time, and always weigh clinical context and worker symptoms alongside spirometry data.Review the full ATS/ERS Spirometry Standards and ARTP Guidelines to ensure your practice aligns with current global standards. Don't forget to subscribe to the SOM Podcast for monthly clinical insights.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

In this episode of the SOM Podcast, Steve Randall interviews occupational health physiotherapist Katherine Roberts about her benchmark research comparing practice in the UK and Australia., supported by the Society of Occupational Medicine’s Jubilee Travel Fellowship.She highlights the structural differences in funding models and titling pathways between both countries. Her insights reveal how establishing a modern capability framework could transform workforce development and professional recognition for physiotherapists in the UK.Key TakeawaysSystemic Differences: Australia’s state-based workers' compensation schemes fund occupational health services directly, creating significantly more inherent opportunities for physiotherapists compared to employer-paid systems in the UK.Shared Training Challenges: Both Australian and UK occupational health physiotherapists rely heavily on informal experiential learning and peer mentorship rather than structured career pathways.Credentialing Models: Australia utilizes a formal titling process through the Australian Physiotherapy Association to demonstrate competency, whereas the UK’s ACPOHE system is less robustly structured.Need for Standardized Frameworks: Both countries lack a modern capability framework aligned with contemporary practice, which is vital for defining scope, improving professional recognition, and guiding career development.Value of Research Grants: The Jubilee Travel Fellowship served as a critical catalyst for the research, providing initial momentum and credentials that facilitated securing future PhD funding.In addition to the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), which awarded her the Jubilee Travel Fellowship, Katherine also thanked:The University of Exeter: They supported her benchmark research study and provided the official ethical approval required to conduct it.Academic Supervisors: She highlighted the direct support of Dr. Leanne Wood and Professor Sarah Dean from the university.Professional Associations: She engaged closely with both ACPOHE (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics) in the UK and the APA (Australian Physiotherapy Association) during her research trip to Adelaide.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

In our latest Mini-CPD episode, Steve Randall speaks with audiologist Trevor Chapman about how artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming workplace hearing health.Trevor breaks down how validated machine learning algorithms enable faster, highly consistent hearing screenings without replacing human clinicians. The discussion covers practical applications, including proactive Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) testing, cutting-edge hearing aid tech, and tackling the stigma surrounding hearing loss in the workplace.  Key TakeawaysSpeed & Accuracy: Machine learning algorithms allow hearing screenings to be conducted faster while maintaining the accuracy of a specialized clinical environment.Human-in-the-Loop: AI doesn't replace staff; it frees up nurses and technicians to focus on broader patient assessments and questionnaire reviews while human oversight handles red flags (e.g., HSE Category 3/4 alerts).Proactive TTS Testing: Testing hearing before and after noise exposure (every 4 hours) helps measure Temporary Threshold Shift, assessing whether PPE is effective or if equipment needs noise-reduction modifications.Destigmatizing Hearing Loss: Normalizing routine workplace hearing screenings helps reduce the stigma around hearing aids and prevents broader health issues like social isolation, depression, and cognitive decline.Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn. The FastAG website.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall.--Links mentioned in the podcast:The SOM Leadership Conference 2026The BMJ is calling for young people to get mental health and employment support before they receive a formal diagnosis. Campaigners are calling on the Health and Safety Executive to recognise work-related suicide as a reportable workplace death. SOM EVENTSGDPR and implementation of diversity issues in a workplace, Monday 7th September 1-2pm - register hereAre Fit Notes for Purpose?, Monday 28th September 12-1pm - register hereJAOHL/SOM joint webinar: "Women's Health at Work", Tuesday 29th September 12-1.30pm  Register here.The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

In this episode, host Steve Randall sits down with occupational medicine specialist Jalees Razavi to tackle the widespread, critical issue of workplace burnout in 2026. Jalees debunks the common myth that burnout is merely an individual psychological flaw or a "mood issue," reframing it strictly as a structural, organizational failing.The conversation explores how constant digital accessibility, understaffed environments, and superficial "wellness gimmicks" worsen chronic stress. Jalees breaks down the distinct types of burnout, explains the danger of misdiagnosing it as depression, and outlines the practical, upstream organizational changes needed to foster true recovery.Key TakeawaysThe Myth of Multitasking & Accessibility: Modern technology has created a state of constant accessibility. The continuous urge to check social media or work emails prevents the brain from entering a natural state of rest, acting as a primary driver for burnout.Burnout is Structural, Not Personal: Burnout is a physical state of the body, not a mood issue. While individual factors exist, workplace burnout is primarily caused when the structural design of a job produces injury.The Pitfalls of "Wellness Gimmicks": Superficial solutions like yoga classes, breathing techniques, or gym memberships often act as short-term PR or "damage control" rather than solving the root issues. In fact, forcing wellness activities into an already overloaded schedule can add to an employee's stress.The Dangerous Misdiagnosis: Burnout often hits high performers first. Because it causes persistent fatigue and lower performance, patients are frequently misdiagnosed with depression and improperly prescribed antidepressants when the actual issue is severe occupational burnout.Upstream Solutions: To truly address burnout, organizations must focus on four main upstream levers: managing workload, increasing employee control, allowing for real recovery, and maintaining ethical alignment. Simple tweaks, like implementing three-month task rotations, can dramatically improve employee retention and health.ResourcesConnect with Jalees Razavi on LinkedInJalees’s book: The Anatomy of BurnoutThe SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall.--Links mentioned in the podcast:Supporting workers with fertility treatment and pregnancy loss: https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/Fertility_Treatment_and_Pregnancy_Loss_June_2026.pdfKeep Britain Working Update: https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/KBW_The_Story_So_Far_June_FINAL.pdfThe SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

To mark SOM’s 90th anniversary Amy McKeown brings together a distinguished panel to explore what the future looks like for occupational health, the pressing need to modernize the specialty, and how to create deeper structural integration within UK workplaces.The conversation focuses heavily on shifting away from a reactive "medicalized model" toward proactive, upstream organizational support. The panel dives into the challenges of a commercialized procurement market, the pitfalls of unregulated corporate wellness trends, the future role of AI, and the critical importance of a healthy workforce for economic sustainability.Panellists: •    Dr. Charles Goss: Consultant Occupational Physician; Head of Service in the NHS; Chair of the NHS Health at Work Network•    Dr. Alasdair Emslie: Consultant Occupational Physician; Head of Health at Health Partners Group•    Rachel Suff: Public Policy Team at the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)•    Prof. Neil Greenberg: Consultant Occupational Psychiatrist; President of the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM)•    Prof. Kevin Bampton: Chief Executive Officer of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS); Chair for the Council for Work and HealthResourcesVisit the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM)Explore the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS)Learn more about the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.