Dr Caroline Wall qualifies in Occupational Health Medicine
We’re excited to announce that GP London W1’s Dr Caroline Wall has recently qualified in Occupational Health Medicine, gaining her post-graduate diploma (DipOccMed).
“About a third of the work that we do at GP London W1 is Occupational Health, so when I joined the practice, the next step was to undertake my post-graduate training in this field so I could work alongside Fiona and Justine in this area,” Caroline explains.
“However, I’ve always been interested in the concept that people are better in work than out. In my experience as an NHS GP, I saw many patients on long-term sick leave, and often, you would see a physical and mental decline in their health when they weren’t working.
“If you look at it from the other side, if you are a company whose staff is happy and fulfilled at work, that has huge benefits in reduced turnover and productivity.”
Studying for an Occupational Health Medicine diploma
“Initially, there was a two-week training course – encompassing 95 lectures– done remotely. Followed by a written exam, and then you must prepare a portfolio that is split into two parts.
“The first was a clinical case of lower back pain. One of Justine’s patients allowed me to observe, and I wrote up the case. Often it is simple suggestions, and it might seem obvious that someone with back pain should be allowed regular movement breaks so they aren’t sitting for long periods, but often you need a structured report to enable it to happen.
“The second part was a site visit of the shoe factory Crockett & Jones in Northamptonshire. This was more focused on the health, safety and welfare aspect of Occupational Health, and I had to demonstrate that I could carry out a workplace visit and assess all the risks.
“Once I submitted the portfolio, there was a viva where I was grilled on those two cases.
“I really enjoyed it, but it’s quite daunting returning to study after a break now that I’m older, my brain is a bit slower, and I have a young family. Thankfully all behind me now!”
Next steps
“I am looking forward to the challenge of our Occupational Health work. We are based on Harley Street in Central London, so we work with companies across various industries, so the work is always varied.
“Working alongside such experienced Occupational Health practitioners as Justine and Fiona though means I always have a wealth of knowledge and support on hand.”
To find out more about our Occupational Health Services, please call +44 (0)20 4580 1152 to speak to one of the team.
