MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION - Health Promotion Agency

Mental Health Promotion in Northern Ireland
CATEGORY 1
Project name
Contact name
Address
Well Person Clinic
Sister Patricia Kelly – Occupational Health Service
South and East Belfast Trust
Knockbracken Clinic
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
Saintfield Road
Belfast
BT8 8BH
Telephone number 01232 565467
Brief description of project
Objectives
Every employee within South and East Health and Social Services
Trust should be given the opportunity to have a health check every
two year.
The health check comprises of a 30 minute interview with an
Occupational Health Adviser. Selected health related measurements
are recorded, eg height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure,
cholesterol and urinalysis. Lifestyle issues are addressed and
appropriate advice given to enable the employee to make lifestyle
changes.
• To actively encourage employees to take responsibility for their own
health (including health, safety and wellbeing at work).
• To identify and advise on potential/actual health concerns which
may impact on the employees future health and wellbeing; and
subsequently affect their job performance.
• To promote cultural change by encouraging positive lifestyle
attitudes and behaviours amongst health care workers.
• To meet employee needs within existing resources.
• To support and complement other health promotion initiatives in
the Trust and wider community.
Outcomes: Planned Short-term:
• Planned questionnaire to participants one year after their
attendance to assess any reductions in individual risk factors (1
March 1999).
• Monitoring sickness absence and retirements on grounds of ill
health.
• Developing auditing tools to assist in identifying specific health
needs of employers and targeting resources appropriately.
Long-term:
• Comparing financial costs of screening programme against benefits
to the organisation.
• Clinical studies to measure any direct effects on employees health.
Actual
This clinic was introduced for staff initially as a pilot project for one
year from March 1998.
continuation depended on the following factors:
• Demand for health checks.
• Evaluation of sessions by participants.
• Managers willingness to release staff to attend.
• Initial results have suggested we will continue to provide the service
and in doing so we are developing outcomes as stated above.
63