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Projects and Services

We are a learning organisation, with a rolling programme of training for advisers. Our advisers go to workplace health events on a regular basis. We invite specialists in workplace health related areas to meet advisers and discuss new developments that can improve our service delivery.

We hold meetings to present information about our work to practitioners, academics and clinicians providing workplace health masterclasses for organisations who refer patients to our advice services.

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Work and Health Service

A project aiming to help people whose health is affected by their work.

Further Information

 

Talking Therapies Employment Adviser Service

We work alongside Sheffield Talking Therapies providing support to people who use the service who need help and support on workplace health issues.

Further Information

Autism and Employment Research

We are working in partnership with Sheffield University on research on autism and employment.

Further Information

 

Waiting List Initiative

Through the Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust Waiting List Initiative we are working to help reduce the waiting time for patients who are on the trusts waiting lists.

Further Information

 

Women’s Wellbeing and Reproductive Health Project

Funded through the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund, part of a partnership programme between Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency

 

 

Further Information

Work and Health Service

We are funded by Sheffield City council on a long-term contract to provide Sheffield’s job retention service which helps people whose health is affected by their work stay in employment.

SOHAS advisers work out of a number of GP surgeries with the majority of patients being referred by their GP, we also get referrals from a number of voluntary and health organisations from across the city and an increasing number of people who self-refer.

The team of skilled and experienced advisers provide advice and support to patients whose work is affecting their health who are still at work or are off sick from work to return to work.

The majority of patients who are referred to us, have mild to moderate mental health conditions, such as stress and anxiety. We also help and support patients with a range of health issues both psychological and physical, simple or complex.

The team of advisers have considerable expertise in work related benefits, including Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independent Payments and Statutory Sick Pay. We also help people who have been injured at work and want to claim Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit.

We have our own bespoke database to record our work. This allows us to see any emerging trends in workplace health issues and alter the way we give advice where appropriate. We also have a great understanding of employer behaviour towards workplace health issues and why they act in the way they do. We will with the consent of the patient engage with managers and employers to give them information that help them understand what the best way is to help their employee.

We also create regular resources on a wide number of workplace health issues, go to our blog page to see our latest posts.

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Formerly Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Employment Service (IAPT EA)

We are funded by Sheffield Talking Therapies to provide an employment advice service across Sheffield. We have two EA advisers who are imbedded in the Talking Therapies service, working alongside Talking Therapies workers

Patients are referred by Talking Therapies workers to the EA advisers who work in a similar way to their colleagues on the Workplace Health Programme. The advisers help people mainly with stress and anxiety related to their work. The EA service has the same outcome as the Workplace Health programme, which is to keep patients in employment. The service shares the same database and allows the advisers to analyse what issues patients tell them about to ensure that the service reflects current health and work issues.

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Autism and Employment Research

We are working in partnership with Sheffield University on a research project on autism and employment.

Here is a summary of what we are going to do:

Just 22% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment, compared to 50% of disabled people and 80% of non-disabled people (Office for National Statistics, 2021). Autistic people are at a significantly greater risk of social isolation, poor mental health and premature death. Employment provides opportunities for social interaction, increases financial independence, provides a sense of accomplishment and is known to be associated with improved mental health. Autistic people can be extremely effective employees, providing diverse skills to the workplace. Changing employer behaviours by addressing knowledge gaps, misconceptions and unhelpful attitudes, approaches and workplace norms could significantly improve employment opportunities for autistic people and provide benefits to organisational productivity.

Aims and Objectives

This project aims to 1. Investigate hiring practices in relation to autistic employees, including establishing the perceived barriers employers experience to hiring more autistic people. 2. Co-design, create and pilot a behaviour change intervention to be used by employers that aims to improve employment rates among autistic individuals.

Research Questions

What are the barriers to employers hiring more autistic people into their workforce?

Would a co-designed intervention aimed to increase employment of autistic people be feasible and acceptable to employers?

If you would like any more information about the research, please email, Nick Pearson, SOHAS Chief Executive at nick.pearson@sohas.co.uk

 

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Waiting List Initiative

We are in partnership with several voluntary organisations to help reduce waiting lists for patients who are on the Trust’s waiting list. We are giving advice and support to patients who have complex workplace health issues to stay in work. We expect that this work will end in July 2022.

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Women’s Wellbeing and Reproductive Health Project

SOHAS’s part in the project is about helping women whose reproductive health is affecting their work or if work is having an impact on their reproductive health.

The criteria for the project is that you live or work in Sheffield and are in employment at the time of your first appointment.

Farrah Din, who is the occupational health adviser for the project can give advice on a range of reproductive health issues including:

• PCOS: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a common condition that effects how a women’s ovaries work.

• Menopause: This is a condition that occurs after women stop having their periods due to reduce hormone levels.

• Endometriosis: In this condition, tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places such as the ovaries and fallopian tube.

• IVF: Invitro Fertilisation is more of a treatment than a medical condition. It is a treatment for women who struggle to conceive naturally.

If you want know more about these health issues, please click here for a more detailed description.

It’s simple to get help and support, go to the “can we help you” tab on our home page and complete the form that goes to our secure email address. We will be in touch with you to arrange an appointment to see Farrah.

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