Subject Matter Expert Series - Occupational Health Physician

Background

Having completed her training for General Practice in 2005, Saima registered with OGUK and began part-time practice in Occupational Health. Inspired by the diversity and application of clinical knowledge in occupational medicine, she joined RelyOn Nutec (at the time Falck Safety Services) in 2012 to deliver OGUK medical examinations. She was responsible for developing RelyOn Nutec’s own Occupational Healthcare Service and became the UK point of Clinical Contact, delivering extended occupational healthcare for Customer Organisations, which includes but is not limited to Health Surveillance, Complex Case Management, Fitness to Train and Fitness to Return to Work Assessments. Saima continues to have a part-time commitment in General Practice which allows her to maintain her clinical knowledge and she took on a medical advisory role for a large O&G Company three years ago which has added a wealth of additional experience and knowledge to her existing expertise and background clinical knowledge.

Challenging Case

When a delegate experienced memory loss and a headache when training at RelyOn Nutec a few years ago, Saima had to apply her wealth of clinical expertise to effectively manage an incident with potentially devastating consequences. The team at RelyOn Nutec were able to move him to the medical suite where Saima could administer treatment to stabilise him until further help could arrive.  Ultimately diagnosed with a rare kind of stroke and amnesia (memory loss), the patient thankfully made a good recovery thanks in part, to the treatment received when at RelyOn Nutec. Saima’s role in this situation also involved informing and providing support to the delegate’s family.

Proudest Achievement

When asked about her proudest achievement, Saima says that it is
Impossible to narrow it down to any single moment, or event rather it is the culminative effect of all the different roles that she is in the fortunate
position to hold, that gives her the greatest sense of satisfaction, pride and achievement in both her personal and professional life.

To Saima, every good outcome in health for unwell patients, is a great
result and giving individuals the support that they need through both illness and into recovery is what makes her job so worthwhile.

The future

Saima would like to see a national/global clinical database of the oil and gas industry. This would aid in the safety and welfare of the workforce and allow for better regulation and compliance of medical standards.  She also hopes for the globalisation of clinical standards across the industry as there is currently a lot of variation which leads to many avoidable challenges.

COVID– 19 CHALLENGES

We also asked Saima about her experience working through a global pandemic. From telephone appointments to enhanced cleaning regimes and social distance concerns, the current situation has posed many challenges for medical professionals.

But Saima says that the biggest issue has been the lack of global medical knowledge of the virus and the constantly evolving medical guidance that she and her team have had to keep track of, for example the guidance on risk assessments for individuals is constantly changing, having a direct impact on the advice given to patients and
companies.