Our Research

The Healthy Working Lives Group has played a leading international role in defining the clinical competencies required for high-quality occupational health practice. Our research has helped shape understanding of the knowledge, skills and professional priorities needed by occupational physicians and occupational health nurses in the UK, Europe and internationally.

This programme of work has used modified Delphi methods to build consensus among occupational health professionals, employers, employees, professional bodies and other stakeholders. These studies have contributed to training, curriculum development, professional standards and the wider understanding of what effective occupational health practice requires.

Our contribution

Our research began with one of the first European studies to identify common core competencies required for occupational physicians. This work examined occupational medicine training requirements across Europe and highlighted the need for competencies to evolve alongside the changing role of occupational health.

We then extended this work internationally, conducting a modified Delphi study across 51 countries to identify common core competencies for occupational physicians worldwide. This study showed strong international agreement around the importance of clinical care, occupational hazard assessment and management, fitness for work, communication, and legal and ethical practice.

We have also undertaken major competency research with UK occupational health nurses, directly compared competency priorities between UK occupational physicians and occupational health nurses, and explored the competencies that occupational health customers expect from occupational physicians.

Why this matters

Clear competency frameworks are essential for occupational health education, training, professional development and service quality. They help ensure that occupational health professionals are prepared to respond to the needs of workers, employers and organisations, while maintaining high standards of clinical, ethical and professional practice.

Our work has shown that occupational health practice depends on both specialist clinical expertise and a wider understanding of work, health, law, ethics, communication, disability, workplace hazards and organisational context. This evidence supports the development of occupational health services that are clinically robust, responsive to customer needs and fit for modern working life.

Key publications

Requirements for occupational medicine training in Europe: a Delphi study
Macdonald, E.B., Ritchie, K.A., Murray, K.J. and Gilmour, W.H. (2000). Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(2), pp. 98–105.
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/120831/

International perspective on common core competencies for occupational physicians: a modified Delphi study
Lalloo, D., Demou, E., Kiran, S., Cloeren, M., Mendes, R. and Macdonald, E.B. (2016). Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 73, pp. 452–458.
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/117858/

Core competencies for UK occupational health nurses: a Delphi study
Lalloo, D., Demou, E., Kiran, S., Gaffney, M., Stevenson, M. and Macdonald, E.B. (2016). Occupational Medicine, 66(8), pp. 649–655.
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/119772/

Comparison of competency priorities between UK occupational physicians and occupational health nurses
Lalloo, D., Demou, E., Stevenson, M., Gaffney, M. and Macdonald, E.B. (2017). Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 74(5), pp. 384–386.
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/133672/

Required competencies of occupational physicians: a Delphi survey of UK customers
Reetoo, K.N., Harrington, J.M. and Macdonald, E.B. (2005). Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 62(6), pp. 406–413.
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/120828/

Research impact

Together, these studies provide a substantial evidence base for occupational health competency development. They have helped clarify the shared and distinct priorities of occupational physicians, occupational health nurses and service users, and have provided a foundation for education, training, curriculum review and professional standard-setting in occupational health.