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.

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 - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.


The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 Occupational Medicine

Guest:

• 🎙️ Charlie Adler – Occupational Therapist at Vitality 360, fatigue and pain specialist with extensive experience since 1997

🔍 In This Episode:

• How clinical fatigue differs from everyday tiredness
• Diagnoses commonly associated with fatigue (ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID, etc.)
• The complex interplay of fatigue, pain, and mental health
• Challenges fatigue presents in the workplace—from concentration to cognitive overload
• Common symptoms: “walking through treacle,” memory lapses, sensory overwhelm
• How OTs support people to return to and remain in work
• Practical workplace adjustments: flexible hours, breaks, hybrid work, sensory environments
• The importance of individualised, holistic, biopsychosocial approaches
• Why occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to help with fatigue management

🛠️ Useful Resources:

• 📘 Living with ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Dr. Coakley & Beverly Knops
• 🔗 Vitality 360 – Specialist fatigue support
• 🔗 BACME – British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS
• 🔗 MS Society – Fatigue and Work
• 🔗 Royal College of Occupational Therapists – Fatigue Resources

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 identify and manage the condition.

For more resources please visit the Society of Occupational Medicine website.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 sets of behavioural scientist, clinical leadership and medical doctor, to offer reliable services through multiple wellbeing related lenses for analysis of problems and designing of solutions.

One of Nupur's recent projects was with law firm Thackray Williams and joint managing partner Emma Thompson is also on the episode to talk more about how the process worked and its benefits. 

The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for wellbeing initiatives, the necessity of leadership involvement, and the challenges of sustaining these programs over time.

Additionally, the speakers address the impact of generational differences on workplace wellbeing and the significance of measuring the effectiveness of these initiatives. The episode concludes with a focus on embedding wellbeing into the organizational culture and the return on investment associated with these efforts.



The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 importance of education, preventative strategies, and creating a supportive environment for individuals with health problems to maintain their workability and successfully return to work.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 discover the intricacies of FCEs, their applications, and the key considerations for occupational therapists looking to enhance their practice.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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 remote health surveillance survey


The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

In the second of our ‘mini CPD’ episodes, Neil Greenberg, consultant psychiatrist and President Elect of the Society of Occupational Medicine joins us to talk about pressing issues surrounding mental health in workplaces. 

We talk about how there has been improvement over the last few decades but there is always more that can be done, especially given the large number of (young) people who are currently not working due to mental health challenges. 

For more resources please visit the Society of Occupational Medicine website.

Neil’s contact details are available on his company website March On Stress.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

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/


Click here for the Consensus document on fatigue risk management

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.