New role of occupational health services

– It seems that the new problems in work life are being handled with the old tools of the occupational health service, says senior physician Mari Antti-Poika from Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company.

By new problems Antti-Poika refers to, for example, the mental stress of work and problems arising from the work community. In the latest issue of Telma, she also reminds us that the occupational health services should not be burdened by tasks that the enterprises themselves should attend to.
– For instance, the occupational health services cannot patch up poor leadership.

The purchasing of occupational health services has increased tremendously: the largest providers of such services, private medical centres, got about 200,000 new clients in 2004 – 2007. Often, however, the enterprises are unable to get full benefit because they don’t know what to demand of the occupational health services. 

– It is possible that enterprises are sold magnetic imaging (MRI) and laboratory investigations, although they may need only good basic occupational health services.

There are of course also good examples of occupational health services that are aware of the enterprise’s needs. Occupational health physician Markku Nyman takes care of his own patients, but also of the entire personnel of the region’s biggest employer, Tiivituote Co.

– It’s easier to take care of people when you’ve known the families for many generations. Here we don’t wear blinkers when we look at people. When necessary, we carry out social work from our own part.

In addition to occupational health services, Telma 3/09 visits Fazer’s bakery and looks at how the role of occupational safety personnel has evolved in the direction of being the management’s and supervisors’ advisors and experts. The journal describes the tasks of a health nurse caring for immigrants, analyses the world of bacteria, and interviews SAK’s new chairman Lauri Lyly. In his column, psychiatrist and author Claes Andersson discusses leadership and the heavy responsibility that goes with it.

Telma is a journal specialized in developing work life. It is published by the Finnish Work Environment Fund and the Centre for Occupational Safety. The target groups of the journal are, among others, occupational safety personnel and trustees of workplaces, occupational health care specialists, supervisors, work life researchers, and communications specialists. Telma’s circulation is 110,000, and Alma Media Lehdentekijät handles its practical implementation.

For more information contact:
The Finnish Work Environment Fund: communication manager Marja-Leena Jylhä, 040 548 8852The Centre for Occupational Safety: communication specialist Eija Åback, 040 537 1822
www.telma-lehti.fi
www.ttk.fi
www.tsr.fi