1. HISTORY
Hungarian occupational medicine roots in ancient organisational (mine hospitals, railway physician system) and professional (M. Huszár, L. Markusovszky, J. Fodor, I. Tóth, V. Friedrich) traditions. In 1946, amid the hunger and dire humanitarian, social and financial situation that followed the WWII, physicians laid down the fundamental structures of occupational health by organising occupational medical care for workers in order to promote their health (foundation of the Hungarian Scientific Society for Occupational Health and Medicine). Hungary was the 3rd European country to ratify ILO C161. Industrial medicine that had significant curative roles was predominant in the era of state owned companies until 1994. Modernised prevention focused approach emerged after the privatisation. Occupational safety and health legislation was among the first that was harmonised with the European Union law.
2. ORGANISATION
POPULATION (in 2011)
Total: 9,938 thousand; active: 4,511 thousand
No. of doctors: 34,736; No. of occupational physicians 2,340
No. of doctors in occupational medical services: full-time: 951; part-time: 1,735
NATURE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
Accident insurance system is not introduced to occupational safety and health. Provision of occupational medical care to employees is mandatory for employers (but not for self-employed). Compliance is predominantly achieved by direct contracting with external (private, for-profit) medical services. Employers may provide the service themselves by employing the required health care professionals (internal service). Necessary material and human resources are strictly set in the legislation. Regional occupational medical centres provide second level care. The third level of the Hungarian occupational medical system is in the Occupational Health Department of the National Labour Office (formerly OMFI).
3. PROFESSIONS
TRAINING
Occupational medicine is available as main specialisation after graduating at the medical faculty. It takes two years of foundation programme (emergency medicine, internal medicine, occupational medicine of various sectors) run by a university, and two years work at an accredited occupational medical service, under specialist supervision.
Occupational medicine used to be available as secondary specialisation between 1996 and 2008. Several occupational physicians acquired their specialisation that way.
Subsidiary specialisation to occupational medicine is occupational hygiene.
There is no credit system in the postgraduate training.
Specialists must participate in continuing medical education (five year cycles).
TASKS / TASK DISTRIBUTION
The occupational medical service is the primary consultant for employees and employers concerning health at work. Duties include: informing workers, carrying out fitness-for-job and health surveillance examinations, investigation and reporting of occupational diseases, surveillance of the working environment, giving advice on personal protective equipment, chemical safety, administering vaccination to workers, preventative care of chronically ill workers, examination of professional drivers. Furthermore, the service participates in risk identification and management, the organisation of workplace first aid, occupational rehabilitation, the setting up of the company emergency rescue plan.
4. HOT TOPICS
- discrepancies between national OSH legislation and the everyday practice
- ethics and independence of occupational medicine on micro and macro levels (finance, politics)
- occupational health for non-organised workers (self-employed)
- aging workforce
5. ASSOCIATION
Magyar Üzemegészségügyi Tudományos Társaság (MÜTT)
Hungarian Scientific Society for Occupational Health and Medicine
The Society is the only Hungarian professional association that consists solely of occupational physicians and nurses. It aims to defend the interest of occupational medicine by informing and discussing with stakeholders and decision makers, and providing networking opportunities for the membership. The annual conference is taking place in autumn.
Communication means
Address:
Nagyvárad tér 2.
Budapest
H-1097
EU
Postal address:
Pf. 67.
Budapest
H-1507
EU
Telephone/fax: int+36-1-216 6942
E-mail: mutt@omfi.hu