AND EARLY DEVELOPMENTS IN OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE IN NEW ZEALAND 1965-1984
This brief history (from the downloadable pdf below) was first published in the journal, The Occupational Health Nurse, in the summer edition of 1987. The photos and appendices have been added for interest to those attending the ANZSOM conference in Wellington in 2011.
The success of this 40th anniversary conference meeting in Wellington is a tribute to the enthusiasm and commitment of successive branch executives, presidents, secretaries and members over the past four decades.
ANZSOM, as an organisation, has always had its feet close to the grass roots of the practice of occupational medicine on a day-to-day basis in the workplace. At a time when occupational medicine is looking closely and critically at its future, the role and the continuing existence of ANZSOM is vital.
Darryl O’Donnell’s Presidential Report from 1973 (attached as Appendix 1) is as relevant today as it was then, and one hopes will be in the years ahead.
A close examination of the origin and roots of ANZSOM, why it was established and what was its purpose, can assist us as occupational physicians to reclaim and rectify our practice in the years ahead, and hopefully respond to the current pattern as commented on by Des Gorman in the Journal of Internal Medicine in 2004. In his editorial he was concerned at, and I quote “There are few positive health outcomes related to occupational medical practice. This is variously because: occupational medicine has become generally responsive to the needs of insurers and regulators and hence assessment and not treatment based”.
The future is in our own hands. We either practice occupational medicine in the workplace or sit in the office carrying our medical assessments for the insurance industry.
Bill Glass, 2011
For the full history please click here.