You will have heard of some – diabetes, arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis (MS), depression, anxiety, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD very different from IBS) family. I hope that from these examples you are starting to recongise that they are common.
It is said that 10 million people have a long-term health condition in the UK. LTHC do not exist in isolation; often multiple conditions are present and having an effect on each other. So, it is complicated for the individual and you as an employer. The topic of long-term health conditions is huge, so I have limited to, in my opinion, to the top 6 key principles to apply in managing long-term health conditions.
-
Manage the individual not the condition. It can be very easy to gather information about health conditions but not understand how it impacts the individual, how treatments have an effect or not or result in side effects, understand how lifestyle, social aspects, thought processes all combine to influence the daily life and ability of the person. Some people who have a long-term health conditions may still see themselves as healthy and well where as another person with the same condition and symptoms will see themselves as sick. These different perspectives affect work abilities and are influenced by cultural, social, economic and environmental factors.
-
Involve occupational health professionals Nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council – NMC and Doctors registered with the General medical council – GMC who have gained a wide range and time in clinical practice and then done further specialist training – degree and diploma levels in occupational health. We understand how long-term conditions impact the person (the details in the first bullet point), the person’s ability to work and what can help in treatments, lifestyles, workplace adjustments to enable the person to live and work well with the condition(s). We are of course bound by legislation and professional codes about confidentiality; thus, giving the individual security to be able to talk candidly. We are skilled in working with the individual to be able to translate the medical diagnosis, treatments, individual’s perspectives into work relevant advice to return to communicate with you in the form of a report usually.
-
Involve the occupational health professionals at the right time. If the individual is off sick for 4 weeks then refer to OH; is the simple guidance…………………..however, there are circumstances which mean referral at a different time is appropriate!!! If in doubt, then ring OH to help decide an appropriate time to refer.
-
Have a sickness absence policy in which there is guidance about managing people who have conditions which are likely to mean that the demands of the Equality Act apply.
-
Be flexible, this is probably the most effective adjustment in my experience and brings individual’s great relief. LTHC often but not always (diabetes and asthma if well managed will have very little symptom fluctuation, where as something like multiple sclerosis will have more fluctuation day to day and periods of severe symptom levels) have symptoms that fluctuate on a day to day basis and affect work abilities.
-
Regular wellbeing reviews, the frequency of these will vary according to the individual’s symptom fluctuation and length of time that the individual has known about the condition. Giving person specific positive feedback will build confidence, trust and relationships. Person specific means that you identify exactly the action(s) of the individual rather than the outcomes of the team.
Anna Harrington RGN. SCPHN (OH) Occupational Health Advisor (OHA).
