Developing European Medical Guidance for the Railways - a personal view

Dr Olivia CarltonARIOPS Conference 30th June 2008

Introduction

The set upMy storyWhat I learned

The set-up

UIC – international Union of Railways. Promotes international co-operation amongst railways. Based in Paris. 6 Regions worldwide.

UIMC – International Union of Railway Doctors

The set-up contd

CER – Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies. Promotes the development of rail. Based in Brussels; lobbies at European level. CER has a Human Resources group and they have

set up a medical group to support them

My story

UIMC meeting in Lucerne October 2006Dr Gravert mentioned Safety platform of UIC

had developed draft guidance on D+A testingHe asked UIC d+a subgroup to review itWe looked at it.

Prescriptive Dealt with testing, but not within a framework of

a policy

My story contd

We agreed to review it Decided on a major re-write – done in my

personal time Help from others, especially Howard Watson Used Network Rail standard (and LU standard) to

inform the approach Recommended a framework to address employee

d+a issues as a whole – not just testing

My story contd

Key points presented by me to Dr GravertUIC asked Colin Clifton (also from UK) to edit

for UIC purposes This involved Valmai Hughes as well as me

Final draft accepted by UIC as a guidance document

This guidance then commended to CER

What I learned

Need to be thereNeed to be willing to do the workNeed to be prepared to talk through with

various parties what you are trying to achieve

Why we find it difficult

We are often not there Culture in UK doesn’t tend to acknowledge

importance of OH physicians to HR / Safety leaders

Our national bodies – DfT, RAIB, ORR, RIAC, Network Rail, RSSB and ATOC.

Through RSSB, Dr David Shackleton is sometimes asked to represent UK and ARIOPS and RMAG can contribute

Conclusions

It is possible to be influentialUseful to UK in longer run to have our inputHow can we persuade national bodies that

our input is important?And who will pay for it??