Welcome to King's Able Library
Whether you come to these pages as a colleague with a disability or a long-term health condition, as a line manager or co-worker of such a colleague or just out of curiosity: welcome!
Launched by King's Able, our staff Disability Network, in August 2020, The King's Able Library and aims to benefit King's colleagues with information about all things related to disability and long-term health conditions. Here you'll find articles and short videos - all written and filmed by King's colleagues - and a wealth of links to helpful websites and support organisations. We're starting off small, but will be adding lots more in the future.
By assisting colleagues with disabilities with as much information as possible, we hope that the Library not only helps all of us so affected to achieve our optimum and most comfortable performance at work, but also helps to inform and improve patient experience.
If you have any suggestions, ideas or comments for the King's Able Library, or would like to join the King's Able Network, please get in touch by emailing us at kch-tr.disabilitynetwork@nhs.net. Thank you for your interest and we hope you find the information you're looking for or even something to interest or inspire you!
Key Contacts
Gavin Dean (he/him) – King's Able Co-Chair; Senior Occupational Health Physiotherapist
Asha Hylton (she/her) – King's Able Co-Chair; Paediatric Critical Care Sister
Steffan Gough (he/him) – EDI Facilitator
Meaghan Hackett (she/her) – EDI Business Administrator
Specific Disabilities and Other Health Conditions
Anxiety
Our colleagues from SLaM have kindly provided some information on Anxiety and included additional resources for support.
Anxiety
Chronic Pain
With thanks to our colleagues in the Pain Clinic who have provided some background information on Chronic Pain and advice on how to manage.
Chronic Pain
Deafness and Hearing Impairment
In this excellent video Asha Hylton, Sister in Thomas Cook Children's Critical Care, gives us a brief insight into working in a clinical situation with profound hearing loss.
Asha Hylton - Disability Online Library
Fatigue
In this document, find some helpful information and advice on living with fatigue, alongside resources for additional support.
Fatigue
Mental Health
An excellent and informative article on maintaining good mental health at work and at home.
Mental Health Matters to Everyone
Sioux Watchorn recorded this moving and open interview on working with a mental health condition. It's two minutes well worth spending:
Sioux Watchorn - Disability Online Library
An interesting video from Sarah Pinel, one of King's Orthopaedic Secretaries, who has a range of different diagnoses under the Neurodiversity umbrella, including dyspraxia. She talks about it here:
Sarah Pinel - Disability Online Library
Many thanks to Ainne Dolan, Deputy Director Covid 19 Wellbeing Hubs & Head of Organisational Development, Learning & Leadership, for sharing the attached article on balancing productivity and well-being while working from home, and how to avoid the pit-falls:
Working From Home - Balancing Productivity and Wellbeing
Disability Policies and Processes
Guidance for Managing Colleagues with Disabilities and Long-term Health Conditions
Information provided in this section is for guidance only and not to be referenced as policy unless stated as such. If you ever have any queries related to managing colleagues and staff with disabilities and long-term health conditions, please contact the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department.
King's Workforce Disability Equality Standard
The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) is a set of ten specific measures (Metrics) that will enable us to compare the experiences of Disabled and non-disabled staff.
More information can be found by visiting Workforce Disability Equality Standard and on our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Page.
Sickness Absence Policy
The Sickness Absence Policy covers disability related short term sickness absence and advice from Occupational Health amongst other things. More information can be found by visiting our Sickness Absence Page.
Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department
The Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department (OH) is a specialist work related health advisory service which supports staff and managers in relation to workplace health matters. They offer advice and support for managers on supporting employees with long-term health conditions in the workplace. Employee consent needs to be obtained first before a referral is accepted, and if the employee agrees, a confidential report will be produced following a clinical review. The report may include recommendations for reasonable adjustments and, in some cases, adjustments to duties. Line managers are not obliged to institute those changes, but will have to justify why they do not.
Equality Act 2010
A frequently asked question of the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Department is, “Is my employee covered by the Equality Act 2010?” This must be answered on a case by case basis, but a basic definition is that you are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
Further information can be found by visiting Definition of Disability under the Equality Act 2010.
You can also find information on the Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty by visiting our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion section or by reading our Public Sector Equality Duty Summary Report 2021.
The Importance of the Employee / Line Manager Relationship
One thing that cannot be over-emphasized is the importance of the employee / line manager relationship. The OH Department will always encourage conversation between an employee and their line manager. A line manager is there to support the employee and to help them secure the optimum conditions possible to achieve their best work performance. More information can be found in the following documents:
Access to Work
Access to Work is an employment support programme that aims to help more disabled people start or stay in work. An example of the support Access to Work might provide is payment for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter to enable communication for colleagues who are profoundly deaf. For further information you can visit the Access to Work Factsheet.
ICT Support - Digital Accessibility
A great article from our colleagues in ICT offering guidance on links and phone support for setting up computers, both at home and at work, to suit individual requirements. Thanks to Harish Patel and Joe Harper for their support.
ICT Support - Digital Accessibility
Positivity and Food for Thought!
Below are articles and links to various websites and authors designed to provoke thought, interest and even inspire.
Disability Confidence Webinar 2021
On the 7th December 2021, King’s Able Network and the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team proudly presented a webinar on Disability Confidence as part of UK Disability History Month,. We heard from a number of key speakers from within the organisation who shared their insights, lived experiences and vulnerability throughout the session which sparked further conversation and meaningful reflection for all those who attended.
Disability Confidence Webinar 2021
A Trip Down Memory Lane
A colleague considers how childhood perceptions can influence our behaviour as adults.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Elite Sporting Achievement Against the Odds
Eileen Reynolds, social worker to the Adult Cystic Fibrosis team at King's, kindly introduced us to an article about Evan Scully from Ireland, who is an elite athlete, despite his cystic fibrosis. Evan, who holds the European Marathon Record for the Fastest Person with Cystic Fibrosis (3.09.02) says he is honoured to be included in the King's Able Library. Our thanks to Evan for sharing his remarkable story and our best wishes for achieving the World Record!
Evan Scully
Whether you come to these pages as a colleague with a disability or a long-term health condition, as a line manager or co-worker of such a colleague or just out of curiosity: welcome!
Launched by King's Able, our staff Disability Network, in August 2020, The King's Able Library and aims to benefit King's colleagues with information about all things related to disability and long-term health conditions. Here you'll find articles and short videos - all written and filmed by King's colleagues - and a wealth of links to helpful websites and support organisations. We're starting off small, but will be adding lots more in the future.
By assisting colleagues with disabilities with as much information as possible, we hope that the Library not only helps all of us so affected to achieve our optimum and most comfortable performance at work, but also helps to inform and improve patient experience.
If you have any suggestions, ideas or comments for the King's Able Library, or would like to join the King's Able Network, please get in touch by emailing us at kch-tr.disabilitynetwork@nhs.net. Thank you for your interest and we hope you find the information you're looking for or even something to interest or inspire you!
Key Contacts
Gavin Dean (he/him) – King's Able Co-Chair; Senior Occupational Health Physiotherapist
Asha Hylton (she/her) – King's Able Co-Chair; Paediatric Critical Care Sister
Steffan Gough (he/him) – EDI Facilitator
Meaghan Hackett (she/her) – EDI Business Administrator
Specific Disabilities and Other Health Conditions
Anxiety
Our colleagues from SLaM have kindly provided some information on Anxiety and included additional resources for support.
Anxiety
Chronic Pain
With thanks to our colleagues in the Pain Clinic who have provided some background information on Chronic Pain and advice on how to manage.
Chronic Pain
Deafness and Hearing Impairment
In this excellent video Asha Hylton, Sister in Thomas Cook Children's Critical Care, gives us a brief insight into working in a clinical situation with profound hearing loss.
Asha Hylton - Disability Online Library
Fatigue
In this document, find some helpful information and advice on living with fatigue, alongside resources for additional support.
Fatigue
Mental Health
An excellent and informative article on maintaining good mental health at work and at home.
Mental Health Matters to Everyone
Sioux Watchorn recorded this moving and open interview on working with a mental health condition. It's two minutes well worth spending:
Sioux Watchorn - Disability Online Library
An interesting video from Sarah Pinel, one of King's Orthopaedic Secretaries, who has a range of different diagnoses under the Neurodiversity umbrella, including dyspraxia. She talks about it here:
Sarah Pinel - Disability Online Library
Many thanks to Ainne Dolan, Deputy Director Covid 19 Wellbeing Hubs & Head of Organisational Development, Learning & Leadership, for sharing the attached article on balancing productivity and well-being while working from home, and how to avoid the pit-falls:
Working From Home - Balancing Productivity and Wellbeing
Disability Policies and Processes
Guidance for Managing Colleagues with Disabilities and Long-term Health Conditions
Information provided in this section is for guidance only and not to be referenced as policy unless stated as such. If you ever have any queries related to managing colleagues and staff with disabilities and long-term health conditions, please contact the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department.
King's Workforce Disability Equality Standard
The Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) is a set of ten specific measures (Metrics) that will enable us to compare the experiences of Disabled and non-disabled staff.
More information can be found by visiting Workforce Disability Equality Standard and on our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Page.
Sickness Absence Policy
The Sickness Absence Policy covers disability related short term sickness absence and advice from Occupational Health amongst other things. More information can be found by visiting our Sickness Absence Page.
Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department
The Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department (OH) is a specialist work related health advisory service which supports staff and managers in relation to workplace health matters. They offer advice and support for managers on supporting employees with long-term health conditions in the workplace. Employee consent needs to be obtained first before a referral is accepted, and if the employee agrees, a confidential report will be produced following a clinical review. The report may include recommendations for reasonable adjustments and, in some cases, adjustments to duties. Line managers are not obliged to institute those changes, but will have to justify why they do not.
Equality Act 2010
A frequently asked question of the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Department is, “Is my employee covered by the Equality Act 2010?” This must be answered on a case by case basis, but a basic definition is that you are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
- ‘Substantial’ is more than minor or trivial e.g. it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task.
- ‘Long-term’ means 12 months or more e.g. a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection.
Further information can be found by visiting Definition of Disability under the Equality Act 2010.
You can also find information on the Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty by visiting our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion section or by reading our Public Sector Equality Duty Summary Report 2021.
The Importance of the Employee / Line Manager Relationship
One thing that cannot be over-emphasized is the importance of the employee / line manager relationship. The OH Department will always encourage conversation between an employee and their line manager. A line manager is there to support the employee and to help them secure the optimum conditions possible to achieve their best work performance. More information can be found in the following documents:
Access to Work
Access to Work is an employment support programme that aims to help more disabled people start or stay in work. An example of the support Access to Work might provide is payment for a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter to enable communication for colleagues who are profoundly deaf. For further information you can visit the Access to Work Factsheet.
ICT Support - Digital Accessibility
A great article from our colleagues in ICT offering guidance on links and phone support for setting up computers, both at home and at work, to suit individual requirements. Thanks to Harish Patel and Joe Harper for their support.
ICT Support - Digital Accessibility
Positivity and Food for Thought!
Below are articles and links to various websites and authors designed to provoke thought, interest and even inspire.
Disability Confidence Webinar 2021
On the 7th December 2021, King’s Able Network and the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team proudly presented a webinar on Disability Confidence as part of UK Disability History Month,. We heard from a number of key speakers from within the organisation who shared their insights, lived experiences and vulnerability throughout the session which sparked further conversation and meaningful reflection for all those who attended.
Disability Confidence Webinar 2021
A Trip Down Memory Lane
A colleague considers how childhood perceptions can influence our behaviour as adults.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Elite Sporting Achievement Against the Odds
Eileen Reynolds, social worker to the Adult Cystic Fibrosis team at King's, kindly introduced us to an article about Evan Scully from Ireland, who is an elite athlete, despite his cystic fibrosis. Evan, who holds the European Marathon Record for the Fastest Person with Cystic Fibrosis (3.09.02) says he is honoured to be included in the King's Able Library. Our thanks to Evan for sharing his remarkable story and our best wishes for achieving the World Record!
Evan Scully