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Dr Julia Smedley

Dr Smedley has worked for the Trust as a consultant since 1996.

DM, FRCP, FFOM

Training and education

  • General medical training (acute medicine and hospital specialties) at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea and King's College Hospital
  • Higher professional training in occupational medicine at UHS

Experience

Dr Smedley has worked for the Trust as a consultant since 1996.

She has a broad background in hospital medicine up to MRCP (member of the Royal College of Physicians) level. She's an accredited specialist in occupational medicine and is experienced in directing a large multi-disciplinary occupational health and wellbeing service, including an income-generating portfolio.

Dr Smedley is active in academic occupational medicine, postgraduate training and undergraduate teaching - she's an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Southampton. She also has experience in medical publishing, including journals and textbooks.

Nationally, Dr Smedley is involved in the occupational health (OH) quality agenda, including previous production of national evidence-based clinical guidelines and audits, and setting up OH (occupational health) quality assurance for the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS). She's the director of quality improvement for the Royal College of Physicians' (RCP) faculty of occupational medicine.

Key achievements

  • Leading the successful LiveWell and inspire programme (staff health and wellbeing service) at UHS
  • Lead author of Oxford Handbook of Occupational Medicine
  • Various roles for the RCP's faculty of occupational medicine, including board member and registrar (deputy president)
  • Member of expert advisory group for the Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions to inform the 2017 report on disability and employment 'Improving Lives: the future of work, health and disability'

Research

Dr Smedley has published original research papers on topics including:

  • musculoskeletal disorders
  • respiratory symptoms
  • influenza immunisation in healthcare workers
  • a case management service in OH
  • management of hand dermatitis in nurses.

Dr Smedley has also published reviews on formaldehyde and respiratory disease, latex allergy, respiratory illness in agricultural workers, occupational surveillance schemes, and neck and shoulder pain. She's the author of the following book chapters:

  • Haematology in the book Fitness for Work
  • Research Ethics in the book Guidance on Ethics for Occupational Physicians