WorkWeLCC™ platform to improve access to OH services and improve worker health and work participation in SMEs

The unique solution combines the use of the only technology to objectively assess the worker's ability to cope with job demands, with an accessible digital referral platform for SME managers and the self employed, and connects these with occupational health service providers. The technology used is the Leucocyte CopingCapacity(TM) (LCC(TM)) test, a minimally invasive fingerprick test administered by a trained person, usually a nurse or health technician, and interpreted within 10 minutes. The benefit of this minimally invasive test is the valuable information gained in understanding worker health and _capacity to cope_ with work demands.

We stream results to a worker centred software interface (the WorkWeLCC(TM) platform), for the worker to have understanding of their coping ability to meet job demands and seek assistance for occupational health (OH) referral and/or take early corrective action, as needed. Note that the LCC test is able to identify psychological as well as physical overstrain and thereby aims to prevent physiological ill health (psychological stress) and musculoskeletal (MSK) overstrain and related sickness absences.

Corrective action could be by changing worker lifestyle and habits, such as by following sleep hygiene advice or perform breathing exercises, (this advice is provided through the WorkWeLCC platform), or initiating an occupational health referral to an OH provider if there is decompensation in health. The outcome of OH advice is to advise the SME manager on reasonable workplace adjustments to assist the worker to remain in work.

The likely result of a patient centred approach and accessible referral platform will be an improved uptake of OH service provision with SME's and the self employed, resulting in quality outcome. The solution aims to improve work participation (minimise sickness absence and retirement) of especially older worker and those with chronic health conditions.

The SME OH referral platform provides training to SME managers on the value of OH services. We develop the referral platform in consultation with SME managers to specifically target their needs, as outlined in this application. The platform is linked to OH professionals, such as occupational physicians, who are then able to do remote telephone assessments with the workers, adhering to parameters of medical confidentiality when providing advice on reasonable adjustments to SME managers. The route is also accessible to the self-employed.

We will engage in the offshore energy sector, with a variety of manual, white collar, shift workers and technicians, in order to be able to generalise results.