Key Documents

There is a wealth of research and evidence based around the links between health and employability. Here you will find some of the key documents in this area. 

•  Health Works - The strategy recognises that with approximately 2.5 million people in Scotland in some form of employment, the workplace can play a significant role in the health and wellbeing of a large proportion of Scotland’s population.   It has a number of key actions to be taken forward by the Centre for Healthy Working Lives. 

• Health in Scotland 2009 - Time for Change - This is the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Harry Burns, annual report where he emphises the importance of recognising the work status of patients.

• Equally Well Review - This evaluation focuses on the generic service redesign for health inequalities learning from the full programme.  This is in addition to the 8 local evaluations carried out in each test site. A communication plan is being finalised, which will include promotion of these learning points and approaches via routes such as presentations, conferences, email distribution, web distribution, distinct and bespoke products to help others adopt these approaches etc.

• Is Work Good for your Health and Wellbeing (Waddell, G, Burton K, 2006) collates and evaluates the evidence on the question ‘Is work good for your health and well-being?’ This forms part of the evidence base for the Health, Work and Well-Being Strategy published in October 2005.

• Working for a Healthier Tomorrow (Dame Carol Black, March 2008) identified factors that stand in the way of good health for the working age population and interventions, including changes in attitudes, behaviours and practices – as well as services - that can help overcome them.

• Developing a Healthy Workforce - This guide gives information on health impacts on the workforce.

• Fair Society, Healthy Lives – the report of the Marmot review - was published on 11 February. It was described as a “landmark report” by Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Health at the Marmot Review conference.  The review stressed that tackling health inequalities was a matter of social justice, with real economic benefits and savings.  It required action on the social gradient of health – not just on the health of the most disadvantaged – across the social determinants of health. 

You can also find other links and documents that may be of interest in our Resource Library