Consensus on evidence or evidence of consensus? The evolving role and the new expertise of the occupational physician

Despite the different interests and level of commitment that stakeholders have in the working population’s health, a consensus exists on evidence that society will provide resources as long as the quality of the interventions, such as their conformity to clients’ expectation (including legal requirements), is demonstrated ( ).Which measures are to be taken to pursue this goal?Firstly, a correct approach: this should be neither an apriori defence of occupational physician leadership and all occupational health practices. Occupational physicians should professionally act according to sound scientific-based practice and robust ethical principles. Other elements to be considered are less attention to clinical aspects; a shift from the prevention of individual risk towards population based surveillance; more attention to multi-discipline team-working, a characteristic which is not always familiar to doctors. In the future new professional components will emerge: the occupational physician will be an expert in the field, a facilitator, a political navigator, and will be able to experiment with alternative and innovative models for service provision.Secondly, stakeholders’ involvement: to convince stakeholders that health protection and promotion are a high priority value in the longer term. Occupational health practice should be considered as a production factor and not as a consumer of society resources. However, new models of interventions, more focus on applied research, more useful, beneficial and ethical practices, more attention to the real world needs are required in order to satisfy the interested parties, whose interest must not prevail over the working individual’s health.This will support the implementation of the best professional practice according to the need of satisfying the new working life: acting on scientific evidence of effectiveness, on social consensus and ethical values.