Health and Employability Overview
There's a strong relationship between work and health. An independent review carried out by Waddell & Burton (2006)1
focused on working age adults and common health problems, particularly those that account for the majority of long term sickness absence from work and examined the evidence on the relationship between work, health and well-being.
Their study found that:
- There is a strong link between unemployment and deterioration in physical and mental health and well-being.
- Unemployment also results in an increased use of medication, health services and higher hospital admission rates.
- Returning to employment after being out of work can result in significant health improvement and increase individuals' levels of self-esteem.
- For those with ongoing health conditions, remaining in work is shown to be beneficial to their health as it can help them recover from sickness and decrease the risk of long-term incapacity.
Strategic Context
Carol Black’s review of the health of Britain’s working age population 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.
In response, the Scottish Government produced its report on maximizing the health of its working age population and what its priorities are in achieving this. The main points it raises are:
- The links between health and work were recognised in Scotland’s Healthy Working Lives Strategy (2004). It has already developed many of the solutions advocated by Dame Carol Black, notably the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives which was established in 2005 (www.healthyworkinglives.com).
- Healthy Working Lives has focused on three key areas: keeping those in work safe and healthy; provision of support to those at risk of losing work through ill health or injury; and support for those currently excluded from work through incapacity.
- Health Works, a review of the Scottish Government's Healthy Working Lives Strategy, was published in December 2009. It sets out how the Scottish Government wants to change attitudes to health and work amongst employers, workers and healthcare professions and the actions that will be undertaken to achieve this.
- More recently, the report from the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities, Equally Well, made explicit the need to address the factors that lead to people losing work or remaining out of work as a result of poor health.
- Workforce Plus, the Scottish Government’s Employability Strategy, sets out how organisations can better work together at a national and local level to improve support for those facing barriers to employment, including people with disabilities and lone parents.
- Realising Ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition is a review to the UK Government by Rachel Perkins, Paul Farmer and Paul Litchfield, which assesses how more people with mental health problems can be helped into work.
Further information on UK and Scottish strategies and initiatives is available in Health, Work and Wellbeing - Strategic Context and Initiatives.
For further information contact Kate Burton, Public Health Practitioner (Health & Employability)
E-mail: kateburton@capitalcitypartnership.org or kate.burton@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Tel: 07970 744519
1 G Waddell, AK Burton. Is work good for your health and well being? London, The Stationery Office, 2006. [ISBN 0 11 7036943]
