It seeks to ensure the highest standards in the practice of occupational medicine, overseeing the continuing professional development and revalidation of its members.

[1] One way it achieves this goal is through partnerships with other medical bodies, such as the Safe, Effective, Quality Occupational Health Service accreditation scheme it runs with the Royal College of Physicians.

[5] The organisation was established in 1978 as a faculty of the Royal College of Physicians,[6] becoming an independent body with its own governance, membership and finances in December 1992.

[7] Originally focused exclusively on the professional development of occupational physicians, the Faculty has since expanded its portfolio of qualifications to include a diplomas aimed at benchmarking the standards of occupational health provision in fields as diverse as general practice, aviation medicine and disability assessment medicine.

[9] It devises and oversees the implementation of the Specialist Curriculum in Occupational Medicine, and administers over postgraduate training within the NHS, armed forces and industry.