Cracow Seminar, 2006Dragon – fly Project Polish Network for Workplace Health Promotion Patrycja Wojtaszczyk Jacek Pyżalski National Centre for Workplace

Cracow Seminar, 2006 Dragon – fly Project

Polish Networkfor Workplace Health Promotion

Patrycja WojtaszczykJacek Pyżalski

National Centre for Workplace Health PromotionNIOM Poland


What does WHP mean to us?

Process of social and organisational change implementing into policy,

culture and management of the company care about health and well – being of employees; contributing to

economic success of the firm


National Network for WHP in Poland

The strategy of development of National WHP Network has been prepared by the National Centre for WHP / NIOM under World Bank Project in 1997 and later on implemented with the support of various stakeholders

It is informal and based mostly on the involvement of occupational medicine stations’ specialists (WOMP)


Structure of the Network for WHP

Local WHP leaders

Local WHPcentres/ forums Enterprises

The National Centre for WHP

/NIOM/



• WHP leaders are trained to trigger the WHP development /locally and in enterprises/

• NC WHP role:– Development of WHP concept and its dissemination strategy– Training of WHP specialists (leaders)– Publications, guidelines, marketing– Consulting WHP programmes in companies– Creation of local fora for WHP– Research and monitoring of WHP in Poland



Sources of financing:• Ministry of Health• Ministry of Economy, Labour

(and Social affairs)• State Committee for Scientific

Research• Nofer Institute of Occupational

Medicine• Regional organisations and

institutions


The main outcomes

• Training carried out for Training carried out for

regional leaders and company regional leaders and company

leaders since 1996leaders since 1996

• Publication of a series of Publication of a series of

marketing and educational marketing and educational

materials and 12 guidebooks materials and 12 guidebooks

on WHPon WHP


The main outcomes

• Realisation of independent WHP dissemination Realisation of independent WHP dissemination programmes by WHP leaders in companiesprogrammes by WHP leaders in companies

• Participation of WHP leaders in health promoting Participation of WHP leaders in health promoting projects in companiesprojects in companies

• Implementation of regional strategies on WHP by Implementation of regional strategies on WHP by Centres in 5 voivodships Centres in 5 voivodships

• Development of sub-network of smoke-free Development of sub-network of smoke-free

enterprises involving 30 companies (to be continued)enterprises involving 30 companies (to be continued)


The main outcomes

• Regular publication of data on WHP Regular publication of data on WHP development in Poland as a part of monitoring development in Poland as a part of monitoring workwork

• Participation of Zakład Energetyczny Toruń Participation of Zakład Energetyczny Toruń S.A. (Electricity Board) in the S.A. (Electricity Board) in the ‘Enterprise for ‘Enterprise for Health’ Health’ networknetwork

• Membership in the European Network for Membership in the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion, participation in Workplace Health Promotion, participation in its initiativesits initiatives


Development of regional networks - local fora

• New role of WOMP at regional level (coordinators)• Involving new partners on the local level

(stakeholders)• Big companies – specific programmes• SMS enterprises – new opportunity – supportive

regional strategies• New platform of cooperation with employers


Integrated Program

Employers organizations

Local forum for WHP

WOMP/ Regional Occupational Medicine Station/ – Coordinator

Sanitary Inspection

Labour Inspection

National Centre for WHP (NIOM)

/consulting/

En

terprises

Local administration

Health FoundInsurance Companies

feedback


The regional forum kick – off, November 2002


The current local fora

• There are 5 formally operating local fora (Kielce, Toruń, Rzeszów, Zielona Góra, Kraków)– Kick off meetings in fall 2002– Involve many companies

• NC WHP acts as a consultant• Regional Stations (WOMP) develop local

strategies


What comes next?• Dissemination of local approach

– Internet

– Seminars, training, consulting for leaders

• Involvement of stakeholders at national level (ZUS, Ministry of Health)

• National Network’s meetings:– Polichno Nov. 2005 – new strategy for 2006 – 2008

– Łódź Oct. 2006 – smoke free enterprise campaign – Move Euroipe kick off


Regional Forum for WHPKujawsko – pomorskie voivodship

- Good and long tradition of cooperation with NC WHP – one of the first regions with sub network


Regional ForumRegional Forum

Disemination of WHP concept in

the world of business

Disemination of WHP concept in

the world of business

Development of professional skills of OSH

specialists

Development of professional skills of OSH

specialists

Consultancy and coordination of WHP

prgrammes in enterprises

Consultancy and coordination of WHP

prgrammes in enterprises

Preparation of regional WHP

projects

Preparation of regional WHP

projects

Initation of WHP

programmes in vocational

schools

Initation of WHP

programmes in vocational

schools

Creation of local alliances

for WHP

Creation of local alliances

for WHP


The objectives of the Regional Forum

Integration of policy of WHP in the region with the regional health policy „Healthy enterprise in healthy region”

Development of health promotion activities adjusted to the needs and problems present in the region

Development of local structures and alliances on different organisational levels supporting WHP

Development and dissemination of WHP concept and encouraging employers to implement it


The objectives of the Regional Forum

Creation of a convenient platform for exchange of know – how in the form of examples of good practice

Consulting and evaluating local projects concerning WHP

Support for organisations implementing particular WHP programmes


Stakeholders involved in WHP projects implementation

• Enterprises

• Occupational health care sector

• Other institutions with legal obligation to protect and enhance workplace health


Cooperation of stakeholders within Forum

– The National Centre for Workplace Health Promotion/ The Nofer Institute of occupational Medicine

– The Marshall’s office of Kujawsko – Pomorskie Voivodship

– Regional Epidemiological and Sanitary Station

– Enterprises

– National Labour Inspection

– National Health Found

– Oncology Centre


Cooperation of stakeholders within Forum

– Media

– Trade Unions

– Local authorities and municipalities

– Schools and kindergartens

– Pharmaceutical companies

– Health care institutions

– Associations of nurses and physicians


Evaluation of needs

One of the first activities of Forum was a research into the needs of local enterprises.

The outcomes of the survey have shown that major problems in many firms are:

- noise- stress- factors causing MSD


Evaluation of needs/implementation

The firms pointed to activities they would like to participate in, these were:

• Prophylactics of circular system disorders• Tobacco policy in the workplace• Stress coping• Prevention of back pain• Protection of hearing• Healthy nutrition training• Prevention of respiratory system diseases• Prophylactics of bad influence of carcinogens

• According to these needs particular programmes have been designed and introduced in companies


Projects realised in the area of Toruń WOMP jurisdiction

• Smoke free enterprise (14 companies) – local network of smoke free companies has been set up

• Prophylactics and screening of risk factors in circulatory system diseases (18 companies)

• Prophylactics of vocal cords diseases in teachers (30 schools and kindergartens)



• Stress coping (4 companies)• Prevention of MSD ( 7 companies)• First aid in emergencies (19 companies)• Hygiene at work with monitors (7

companies)



• Programme of hearing protection (6 companies)

• Prevention and screening of prostate cancer (22 companies)

• Prevention of uterus and breast cancer (13 companies)



• Healthy life – style education (39 companies)• Flu vaccination (89 companies) and hepatitis

vaccination (17 companies)• Safety at school and at work– programme

introduced in 15 vocational schools


Exemplary programme - MSD prevention

Programme carried out in:

• Plasticon Poland (chemical industry) – 160 employees

• PKO BP (bank) – 125 employees

• Zakład Energetyczny Toruń S.A. (electricity board) – 860 employees

• Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy (public administration) – 80 employees

• Rejonowy Urząd Poczty (post office) – 460 employees

• Urząd Marszałkowski (public administration) – 240 employees

• Geofizyka (mining industry) – 980 employees


Experiences after 18 months of Forum existence

Barriers/obstacles

• Companies have other, major problems, health is not high on their agenda

• Frequent reorganisations threat continuity of the WHP interventions

• Lack of staff trained for WHP/lack of such positions at enterprises

• Little knowledge about the business-case for WHP amongst employers

• Limited resources on the regional level for WHP activities


Experiences after 18 months of Forum existence

Positive effects/incentives

• Determination, consistency and optimism of the people involved in the WHP dissemination

• Support of stakeholders obliged by the legislation to participate in WHP activities


WHP in PolandThe system

– Ministry of Health has no cohesive policy about public health issues

– There is a growing demand for national/regional development policies, HR policies in view of the EU structural and social funds

– System in constantly reformed– Stakeholders on the national level are very reluctant

to cooperate with each other


Views of employees on health at work

• 44% only safety and hygiene regulations are followed, nothing beyond

• 15% firm does not care about employees’ health at all

• 54% are convinced they can not diminish/control the harmful influence of work condition on their health


90 % expect the company to launch some sort of WHP

activities


Views of occupational medicine doctors on health promotion

• 91% believes it is their task to carry out WHP

• However – 80% says there are no good conditions to promote workplace health in Poland


Barriers and obstacles in WHP: dichotomy of activities and

traditional approach (the state and enterprise level)

• Ministry of Health • Occupational medicine

services• Main task: prevention

of occupational diseases

• Ministry of Labour and Social policy

• HR, OSH• Compliance with

legislation on labour and work conditions


Areas of competence of various institutions

• NFZ – prophylactics

• PIP – promotion of safety culture

• PIS – hygiene of work environment, basic health education

• ZUS – occupational rehabilitation

• Conclusion: no place for health promotion!


Employers’ situation• Lack of system incentives (legal/financial) for

introducing WHP in companies• There are other, available easily methods of

boosting economic growth with more of business case (health promotion is not yet a part of business ethics)

• Lack of signals/stimulation from employees’ organisations

• Conclusion: health promotion is attractive for very specific sort of employers


Our (WHP supporters’) needs:

• Strengthening of political influence (lobbying) of setting approach specialist in health promotion

• Changes in responsibilities of state for employees health (concepts, legislative and institutional framework)

• Introducing on a larger scale health promotion in curricula for: OH doctors and nurses; managers; PIP and PIS specialists;

OHS inspectors; Employees’ (new form of OSH trainings)


Our (WHP supporters’) needs:

• Implementing interdisciplinary occupational health services

• improvement of WHP programmes quality (mix of medical activities and health beneficial business management)

• Analysis and dissemination of MOGP in WHP and in depth analysis of business case – costs and effects in financial terms


EN WHP?

• In most of the mentioned areas there is a room for improvement in all new NCOs and …maybe in some of the ‘old’ ones?

• In a few areas EN WHP already started its work, however the impact on the national level is still too weak

• Impact on the European level is stronger and stronger

Documents

Cracow Seminar, 2006Dragon – fly Project Polish Network for Workplace Health Promotion Patrycja Wojtaszczyk Jacek Pyżalski National Centre for Workplace