The overall effects, direct or indirect, of a policy, strategy, programme or project on the

health of a population (EURO European Centre for Health Policy, ECHP, Brussels,

1999).

Clinical and other staff, including those in primary care, who have regular, clinical

contact with patients. This includes staff such as doctors, dentists and nurses,

paramedical professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists,

radiographers (radiologists), ambulance workers and porters, and students in these

disciplines.

Non-clinical ancillary staff who may have social contact with patients, but not usually of

a prolonged or close nature. This group includes receptionists, ward clerks and other

administrative staff working in hospitals and primary care settings and maintenance

staff such as engineers, gardeners, cleaners, etc. These staff may be exposed to other

specific occupational risks which require their own surveillance programmes.

An increase in worker productivity observed at the Chicago Hawthorne plant of

General Electric in the 1920's and 1930's attributed to improvements in workermanagement

communication and increased involvement of workers with each other.

The term is now used more generally to refer to improvement of worker productivity

that does not result from any objective change in working conditions or work

organization, but seems to arise from workers having more positive psychological

feelings about the workplace. (1)