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Risk communication as a professional competency

Risk communication as a professional competency. Dr. Ewan Macdonald Division of Occupational Health Department of Public Health. What is risk communication?. Exchange of information among interested parties about Nature of risk Magnitude of risk Significance of risk Control of risk.

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Risk communication as a professional competency

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  1. Risk communication as a professional competency Dr. Ewan Macdonald Division of Occupational Health Department of Public Health

  2. What is risk communication? • Exchange of information among interested parties about • Nature of risk • Magnitude of risk • Significance of risk • Control of risk

  3. Aims of risk communication • Present information in such a way that it is understood and usable • Ensure that the audience is informed so as to be able to make judgements on risk • engage the active support of the people affected

  4. How good are we? – historical perspective • Agricola – “we should always devote more care to maintaining our health ….than to making profits” • Rammazzini – “visit the lowliest workshops and study the mysteries of the mechanical arts” • Thackrah 1831 “Surely humanity forbids that the health of workmen should be sacrificed to the saving of halfpence in the price of pots.The total disuse of lead in glaze is highly desirable”

  5. Historical Perspective • Thackrah –1831 “Man after man dies of decay in the prime of life,and no warning is taken by the survivors” • “The work people are less thought of than the machinery:the latter is frequently examined to ascertain its capabilities – the former is scarcely ever” • Scrotal Cancer –recognised by Percival Pott in 1775: chimney sweeping banned by law 1875

  6. How good are we? – current perspective • Nuclear industry - £250 Million to prevent the statistical possibility of 1-2 extra cancer deaths over the next 10,000 years. Berry et al 1990

  7. Seven Cardinal Rules of Risk Communication (Covello and Allen 1988) • Accept and involve the public as a partner • Plan carefully and evaluate your efforts • Listen to the public’s specific concerns • Be honest, frank, and open • Work with other credible sources • Meet the needs of the media • Speak clearly and with compassion

  8. Who should communicate risks? • Credibility of communicator • Competency • Presentation • Style of presentation • Caring and empathetic • Data-driven and concise

  9. Effective risk communication • Knowledge • Preparation • Training • Practice

  10. Risk assessment • Hazard identification • Exposure estimation • Dose assessment • Risk characterization

  11. Training Curriculum For Occupational Medicine – Risk Assessment • Physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial and other hazards to health in the workplace, and the illnesses which they cause • Methods of evaluating and controlling the risk from hazards • Principles of toxicology, occupational hygiene and ergonomics

  12. FOM-Risk Assessment Training (Ctd.) • Occupational health standards • Clinical features and investigation of occupational diseases • Principles of health surveillance • Biological monitoring • Emergency treatment of acute poisoning and injury at work

  13. FOM-Risk Assessment Training (Ctd.) • Physical, chemical and biological hazards to health, arising in the environment from industrial activities • Methods for assessing and controlling environmental hazards • The principles of integrated pollution control • Control of industrial major accidental environmental hazard • The role of other professional groups with an interest in environmental health

  14. Training Curriculum For Occupational Medicine - Communication • Organisation of occupational health services in the UK and role of the Health and Safety Executive • Organisation of other health services in the UK and in particular the NHS • Role and organisation of other occupational health professions • Ethical guidelines for communications with doctors, managers and others • Principles, techniques and resources in communication

  15. WHO- communication competencies • Reading, writing and conversing proficiently in English • Organising and writing a report • Making clear oral presentations to an audience by making effective use of audio-visual equipment • Communicating with people with different levels of understanding • Applying legal and other ethical requirements for confidentiality • Participating effectively as a member, secretary or chair of a committee • Liaising with other professionals to organise and deliver training

  16. Further needs for training • Impart knowledge but ensure competence • Develop standard training modules • Requires to be experiential • Must include evaluation of performance and feedback • We have a challenge

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