The SOM Podcast

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 2025 - now open! HR professionals underestimate role of OH in employee wellbeing, new YouGov survey reveals Nye’s lost legacy: Towards a National Occupational Health Service to keep people well in work. Re...

SOM’s Diamond Days is a limited-edition podcast series celebrating 90 years of the Society of Occupational Medicine. Each episode brings together voices from across generations to explore the evolution, challenges, and bright future of occupational health. In this episode, hosts Amy McEwen and Anna Jones sit down with Dr. Mike Goldsmith , founder of Medigold Health , and his son Alex Goldsmith , t...

In this episode of the  Society of Occupational Medicine’s Specialist Functional Assessment Medicine Group Podcast , Karen Wallace is joined by Lara Shemtob (Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust) and Kim Burton (Work and Health Policy Advisor) for a deep dive into the growing challenge of long-term sickness and economic inactivity — and how we can respond more effectively.   Together, they explo...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Nicola Jagieslski, psychotherapist and clinical director.  The SOM podcast is sponsored...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Sarwar Chowdhury, senior occupational health physician.  The SOM podcast is sponsored b...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Matt Higginson, occupational health nurse. The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Lisa Harrison & Karen Phillpotts, occupational therapists.  The SOM podcast is spon...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Karli Gibson, musculoskeletal physiotherapist.  The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid...

Following on from the SOM Careers Event during Occupational Health Awareness Week 2025, we're hearing from OH professionals across various diciplines and from different clinical backgrounds about how they began their OH careers. There are six episodes in total in this mini-series.  In this episode, we hear from Alex Rhind, a mental health nurse in OH.  The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live -...

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: Free resources for Occupational Health Awareness Week from SOM UK Government research on Understanding Occupational Health Provision TUC review: Keep Britain working: an independent review into the role of employers in health and disabi...

Cannabis prescriptions are becoming more common in the UK, whether via NHS-approved routes or through private clinics. But how does this affect workplace drug testing and occupational health practice? In this CPD-focused episode, toxicologist Helen Vangikar explores: The difference between NHS-authorised cannabis-based medicinal products (per the BNF) and privately issued prescriptions. Why some o...

In this episode of the Society of Occupational Medicine’s Specialist Functional Assessment Medicine Group Podcast , host Karen Wallace speaks with Dr. Lanre Ogunyemi about the DWP’s Pathway to Work Green Paper and its bold vision for integrating work, health, and welfare reform. Together, they explore: Why prevention and early intervention must be at the heart of any reform. How occupational healt...

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall. SOM 90th anniversary - 2025 Register here  to attend the Anniversary dinner on Friday 26th September at the Apothecaries’ Hall, London. Guest speaker: Dame Carol Black. Links mentioned in the podcast: The competency framework will be formally launched this autumn via the...

This episode of the Society of Occupational Medicine's Specialist Interest Functional Assessment Medicine Group podcast delves into the critical topic of reasonable adjustments in the workplace. We explore the legal framework, practical considerations, and common challenges faced by both employers and employees. Hosted by Dr Karen Wallace, joined by occupational therapist Helen Valls-Russell and e...

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall. SOM 90th anniversary - 2025 Register here  to attend the Anniversary dinner on Friday 26th September at the Apothecaries’ Hall, London. Guest speaker: Dame Carol Black. Links mentioned in the podcast: Occupational Health Audits guidance  Pathways to Work: Reforming Benef...

In this episode of the SOM Podcast Mini CPD Series, host Steve Randall speaks with renowned pain coach Richmond Stace to explore a transformational approach to chronic pain—one that moves beyond the traditional biomedical model. Richmond introduces the principles of pain coaching , rooted in neuroscience, psychology, and patient-centred care. Learn how shifting the focus from “fixing pain” to “und...

In this episode of the SOM Occupational Therapists Series, host Jo Vallom-Smith is joined by Helen Valls-Russell , a passionate and experienced occupational therapist specialising in vocational rehabilitation (VR). Together, they unpack what VR really means, how it integrates with occupational health, and why early intervention is crucial to successful work return outcomes. Helen shares insights i...

Our monthly SOM News Update brings you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall. SOM 90th anniversary - 2025 Register here  to attend the Anniversary dinner on Friday 26th September at the Apothecaries’ Hall, London. Guest speaker: Dame Carol Black. Links mentioned in the podcast: SOM President election The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - s...

In the third episode of our occupational therapist-led podcast series, we explore fatigue - its clinical definition, impact on work, and how occupational therapists can support individuals living with long-term fatigue conditions such as ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID, and more. Host: 🎙️ Jo Vallom-Smith – Chair of the Special Interest Group for Allied Health Professionals, Society of Occupationa...

New for 2025 is our monthly SOM News Update, bringing you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall. Get your tickets for the SOM/FOM Conference in Brighton: https://www.occupationalhealthconferences.com/registration/ Links mentioned in the podcast: Health Effects of Silica Dust SOM 90th Anniversary Dinner The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live -...

In the third of our ‘mini CPD’ episodes, Clare Rayner, occupational physician and occupational medicine consultant, to talk about Long Covid, a condition lived with by many people, some of whom have been suffering since the early days of the pandemic in 2020. She talks about spotting the signs of Long Covid, the challenges for workplaces, and how OH professionals have the ideal skillset to identif...

In this episode, the discussion revolves around the implementation of wellbeing programs in organizations, emphasizing the role of behavioral science in enhancing workplace culture, leadership, and employee support. Host Steve Randall speaks with Nupur Yogarajah who founded Dr NY, a consultancy to support organisations with wellbeing, inclusion and leadership challenges. Her USP is combining skill...

This podcast discusses the vital connection between work and health, focusing on the challenges of prolonged work disability and the importance of good work for mental and emotional well-being. Experts Kim Burton, Karen Wallace, and Emma Hogan explore the role of healthcare professionals, the fitnote system, and the need for cultural shifts in perceptions of work and health. They emphasize the imp...

In the second episode of this special series, we explore the critical role of Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE) in occupational health with experts Jo Vallom-Smith, Dr. Jain Holmes, and Mandy Kelly. The discussion delves into the comprehensive nature of FCEs, how they differ from standard assessments, and the importance of objective data in evaluating an individual's capabilities.  Listen to d...

New for 2025 is our monthly SOM News Roundup, bringing you the latest stories and insights from SOM and the wider OH world. Hosted by Steve Randall. Get your tickets for the SOM/FOM Conference in Brighton: https://www.occupationalhealthconferences.com/registration/ Links mentioned in the podcast: Global Health Workforce Programme Narrative reporting template SOM Spring Statement response   HAVS re...