DRAFT
Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace
Occupational Health and Strategy Implementation Group (OHSSIG)
Minutes of Meeting 15 – 28 April 2003 – St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh
Present
Arthur Johnston SEHD
Ewan Macdonald SALUS, Chair
Thelma McGuire Lothian NHS OH Service
Miriam O’Connor HEBS
Rebecca Ryan SEHD Secretariat
Ray Watkins SEHD
Bill Welsh SEHD Secretariat
Tony Wells NHS Tayside
Barbara Healey HSE
Anne Gent Highland Primary Care NHS Trust
Carol Mochan British Dietetic Association
Sam Gough Convention Management Service
Apologies
Graham Pirie Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists
Susan Russell GMB Scotland
Gordon Wenham RCN
1. Welcome
Ewan Macdonald welcomed members to the meeting. The group was notified of the resignation of Murray Petrie.
Ø Action – Murray Petrie will be asked to provide the name of an alternative representative from the Chairs group.
2. Minutes of previous meetings
The minutes of meeting 14 were approved.
3. Matters arising from minutes
3.1 OHSSIG Conference
Arrangements for the OHSSIG Conference on 2 June were well underway, and the following decisions made at this meeting:
· Tony Wells will give the closing address, as “Acting Deputy Chair” of OHSSIG.
· HEBS, SHAW, PIN and HSE will be invited to bring posters displays to the conference
· Bill Welsh, Rebecca Ryan and Ewan Macdonald will draft briefs for the chairs, facilitators and reporters and circulate these to the OHSSIG conference group for comment.
· The OHSSIG felt that up to 12 projects should be invited to bring posters for display at the conference, and chose the following 8:
· OHSAS violence and aggression project
· Argyll & Clyde Needlestick project
· Grampian Needlestick Project
· The State Hospital violence and aggression project
· Lanarkshire Needlestick Project
· North Glasgow Needlestick Project
· Ayrshire and Arran Stress Project
· Grampian Primary Care Trust violence and aggression project.
Given that some project reports had not yet been received the OHSSIG conference committee will discuss via e-mail any reports yet to arrive, and invite up to another four projects to attend the conference.
3.2 Update on OHSAS-led Violence and Aggression Project
Miriam O’Connor updated the group. Health Scotland and the five involved Health Boards have met a few times, and Health Scotland now have a clear list of aims and objectives from the group. The proposed schedule is for pre-piloting to take place in April, the initial piloting to take place near the end of June, and for the package to be with people by the end of August.
The group agreed that once finished, use of the package can be sold to the private sector, but the public sector will have use of the package at cost price.
Ø Action – The pilot will be launched at the OHSSIG conference, discussed at the violence and aggression workshop, and mentioned in the Minister’s speech.
3.3 Minimum Dataset
Bill Welsh updated the group. In the original data provided by ISD, NHS Organisations were grouped under 4 headings: Acute Care, Primary Care, Health Boards and Other Organisations. However, it was felt that this way of presenting results was not meaningful, given that for many indicators the ‘Others’ group had the highest or lowest values. ISD have therefore agreed to change the groupings if agreed by the OHSSIG. Three documents were tabled by Bill Welsh (see attached) and the OHSSIG agreed to the alternative grouping of NHS Organisations under the 3 headings: Acute Trusts, Primary Care Trusts, and Health Boards and Special Health Boards, with the condition that the State Hospital be moved under the Primary Care Trust heading.
Ø Action – OHSSIG members to consider the tabled documents and pass comments to Bill Welsh; Carol Mochan to find a STUC representative for the Minimum Dataset sub-group.
3.4 Peer Review and Benchmarking Pilot
Training of twenty peer reviewers took place in January. The first pilot peer review was of Salus and took place in March. A further training session of the twenty peer reviewers took place in April.
Occupational Health and Safety Standards to be used during the peer review process are being developed and will take the same format as NHSQIS Standards. They will be accompanied by an Occupational Health and Safety Self-Assessment Audit Tool which will be in a similar format to the Staff Governance Self-Assessment Audit Tool. It is planned to launch the launch the consultation process on these documents at the OHSSIG Conference on 2 June. This will be followed by 3 or 4 consultation workshops at various locations around Scotland.
Ø Action - This should be brought as an agenda item at the Chief Executive’s meeting at some time in the future.
3.5 Secondment to PABS
A replacement for Dick Robinson is required, and Sandra Wallace, H&S Co-ordinator at the CSA has been approached as an interim appointment, with the hope she’ll be able to work 2 days per week. The permanent secondment opportunity will be advertised soon, and there will be two main elements to the job: project managing the research into manual handling; co-ordination of the peer review process.
4. Grampian proposal for research into stress
NHS Grampian submitted a late bid for OHSSIG funding for a project to reduce stress in the workplace, and requested that the OHSSIG consider endorsing the project. It was agreed that it was necessary to stick to the originally agreed process for funding distribution and that therefore the OHSSIG could not provide NHS Grampian’s project with either funding or endorsement.
Ø Action – Rebecca Ryan to notify NHS Grampian of this decision
5. SCIEH Project
The group discussed a project proposal from SCIEH looking at the establishment of national surveillance systems to monitor occupational exposures to blood and body fluids sustained by healthcare workers. It was agreed that although the OHSSIG is supportive of the idea, it is unable to give ongoing funding, or give ad-hoc funding to projects, but will look to develop links with the group and see their finished report.
Ø Action - Rebecca Ryan to notify SCIEH of the decision.
There was discussion of whether such a recording system could be incorporated into the Minimum Dataset, and also of why national surveillance systems should be established for this particular area, but not for critical incidents, violent assaults, or RIDDOR.
Ø Action – This matter should be referred to the Minimum Dataset sub-group for their information and consideration.
It was agreed that a national needlestick workshop for the groups working on needlestick projects to discuss their work and progress.
Ø Action – Bill Welsh, Rebecca Ryan and Ewan Macdonald to organise.
6. PABS – New Members
Due to resignations, the PABS group needs appropriate members to replace the competencies currently missing from the group.
Ø Action – Anne Gent will sort out HR representation; Carol Mochan will find partnership representation; Rebecca Ryan and Bill Welsh will establish the current situation and put recommendations to the next meeting.
7. Any Other Business
7.1 OHSSIG funded projects
It was raised that Lesley Hunter needs some support with her violence and aggression project.
Ø Action – Ewan Macdonald will speak to Kenneth Fleming and Ian Symington and see if they are able to help.
7.2 HRF and SPF members lists
Ø Action - Rebecca Ryan to circulate HRF and SPF members lists to OHSSIG.
10. Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on 26 June 2003, Conference Room 5 Stirling Royal Infirmary Conference Centre, beginning at 11am.
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