Fitness for Work The Medical Aspects

The 'bible' of occupational health, Fitness for Work is the most in-depth and comprehensive resource available on the relationship between ill health and employment. The specialist advice given covers health hazards in the work place, fitness for work, and rehabilitation after illness or injury. A truly current source, it discusses the social aspects of work, and problems associated with our ageing workforce and changing population.

Communicating occupational health advice to patients, employees, and doctors, Fitness for Work improves relationships in the workplace. It details the impact of a patient's health on work, and how they can be supported to gain or remain in employment. This invaluable source argues that in a suitable role, an employee can derive immense benefits to their health and well-being from work. Importantly, this comprehensive title also presents tactics on how to reduce inappropriate barriers to work for those who have overcome an injury or disease, and those who live with chronic conditions.

Fully revised and updated, the sixth edition of Fitness for Work is based on the latest research evidence and clinical advances. The first half of the book focuses on the general principles of fitness to work and occupational health practice, such as legal aspects, ethical principles, health promotion, health surveillance and general principles of rehabilitation. In addition, it advises on sickness absence, ill health retirement, medication, transport, vibration and travel.

In the second half of the book, chapters are arranged by clinical speciality or topic, and are co-authored by a topic specialist and a specialist occupational physician providing a comprehensive view of the subject. For effortless reference, each specialty chapter outlines the conditions covered, their prevalence and impact, and discusses the clinical aspects and treatment that affects work capacity. All recommendations are evidence-based and make use of the NICE guidelines.

The definitive text on the relationship between health and work, Fitness for Work delivers a wealth of valuable consensus guidance, codes of practice, and locally evolved standards. This highly-regarded resource is essential for all occupational health practitioners.

John Hobson, Honorary Senior Lecturer; and Director, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; and Hobson Health,Julia Smedley, Consultant Occupational Physician and Head of Occupational Health; and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; and University of Southampton

John Hobson is a practising consultant occupational physician. He has been the honorary editor of the journal Occupational Medicine for over fifteen years. He holds academic appointments in occupational medicine at Keele, Manchester and Birmingham universities.

Julia Smedley is an occupational physician, leading a large multidisciplinary OH service in the NHS. She has an active interest in research and innovation, service development and quality improvement and has contributed to national guidelines and audits in the specialty. She is an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Southampton.

Section 1
1. A general framework for assessing fitness for work, John Hobson and Julia Smedley
2. Legal aspects of fitness for work, Gillian S. Howard
3. The Equality Act, Mark Landon and Tony Williams
4. Ethics in occupational health, Steve Boorman and Diana Kloss
5. Health promotion in the workplace, Steve Boorman
6. Health screening in occupational health, David Koh and Tar-Ching Aw
7. The older worker, Steven Nimmo
8. Women s Health and other Gender issues at work, Blandina Blackburn and Patrick Bose
9. Sickness absence, Richard Preece
10. Rehabilitation and return to work, Danny Wong
11. Fitness for work after surgery or critical illness, Tony Williams and Neil Pearce
12. Ill health retirement, Jon Poole and Glyn R. Evans
13. Medication and employment, Caroline Swales and Peter McDowall
14. Drugs and alcohol in the workplace, David Brown and David Rhinds
15. Transport, Tim Carter, Rae-Wen Chang, Andrew Colvin, Robbert Hermanns
16. Seafaring, offshore energy and diving, Tim Carter, Sally Bell, Mike Doig, Robbert Hermanns, Phil Bryson
17. International Travel, Dipti Patel
18. Health effects of vibration, Ian Lawson and Roger Cooke
Section 2
19. Mental health and psychiatric disorders, Richard J.L. Heron and Neil Greenberg
20. Musculoskeletal conditions, Part 1: Rheumatological disorders, Syed Nasir and Karen Walker-Bone
21. Musculoskeletal conditions, Part 2: Spinal disorders, Birender Balain, John Hobson
22. Musculoskeletal conditions, Part 3: disorders of upper and lower limbs, Sam Valanejad Julia Blackburn Karen Walker-Bone
23. Epilepsy, Ian Brown and Martin C. Prevett
24. Other Neurological disorders, Jon Poole and Richard Hardie
25. Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders, Ali Hashtroudi and Mayank Patel
26. Cardiovascular Diseases, Joseph De Bono and Anli Yue Zhou
27. Respiratory disorders, Paul Cullinan and Kaveh Asanati
28. Dermatological disorders, John English and Dr Hanaa Sayed
29. Cancer survivorship and work, Philip Wynn and Elizabeth Murphy
30. Vision and eye disorders, John Pitts and Stuart J. Mitchell
31. Hearing and vestibular disorders, Julian Eyears and Kristian Hutson
32. Hidden impairments, Marios Adamou and John Hobson
33. Gastrointestinal and liver disorders, Ira Madan and Simon Hellier
34. Blood borne viruses, Paul Grime and Christopher Conlon
35. Haematological disorders, Julia Smedley and Richard S. Kaczmarski
36. Renal and urological disease, Christopher W. Ide and Edwina A. Brown