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Occupational Medicine Advance Access originally published online on September 1, 2005
Occupational Medicine 2005 55(7):523-527; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqi123
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J. Elms, Health & Safety Laboratory. © Crown Copyright 2005. Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

The perceptions of occupational health in primary care

Joanne Elms1, Rachel O'Hara1, Simon Pickvance2, David Fishwick1, Michelle Hazell3, Tim Frank3, Mandy Henson1, Peter Marlow1, Gareth Evans1, Lisa Bradshaw1, Paul Harvey4 and Andrew Curran1

1 Health and Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 9JN, UK
2 Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service, Queens Building, Queens Street, Sheffield S1 2DX, UK
3 General Practice Research Unit, North West Lung Research Centre, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
4 Devonshire Green Medical Centre, 126 Devonshire Street, Sheffield S3 7SF, UK

Aim A random sample of general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses (PNs) and practice managers (PMs) in Sheffield and Manchester was recruited into a study to evaluate the perceptions of occupational health (OH) in primary care.

Methods Qualitative data were collected using focus groups with three groups of primary care sector professionals. Quantitative data were collected nationally from 295 GPs using a postal questionnaire.

Results GPs and PNs had minimal OH training, and 60% of GPs reported constraints in addressing OH matters with patients. The lack of referral routes (63 and 67%, respectively) was also seen as a barrier.

OH was regarded as a speciality, and primary care professionals preferred to refer patients with OH problems to specialist centres because they perceived barriers to their dealing with the issues. A total of 74% of GPs surveyed thought that speedier access to secondary care would help them to address OH problems.

Conclusions This study has identified some of the problems associated with delivering OH through primary care. It also demonstrated a need for greater emphasis on OH education in medical and nurse training, and a need for better advice for GPs, PNs and PMs regarding support services for OH.

Keywords      Occupational health; primary care

Correspondence to: Joanne Elms, Health and Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 9JN, UK. e-mail: Joanne.Elms{at}hsl.gov.uk


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