Welcome Health Works Training Please complete pre-training questionnaire

Session Plan  Training aim and objectives  The links between health and work  Who is fit for work?  Employability  When and how to talk about work  Action planning  Questions and close

Aim To raise awareness of the links between health and work and explore ways of incorporating this into practice.

Learning Outcomes  Recognise the role of meaningful occupation in everyday life.  Know when and how to raise the issue of work with your patients.  Be clearer and more confident about your role in supporting patients with work matters.  Be aware of the HealthWorks team resources available.  Be able to use these resources to provide your patients with basic information about local work related support services.

Health & Work The evidence tells us that there are considerable costs associated with (long term) unemployment.  At the individual level: Significantly more ill health (physical and psychological) and an increase in the likelihood of an early death from preventable disease or by suicide  At a societal level: Higher costs for medical and social care and economic loss of income tax returns

Is work good for health? Being in work is one of a range of factors recognised to influence good health For most adults of working age, including those with disabilities and common health problems, a return to work can:  promote recovery and aid rehabilitation  improve physical and mental health and wellbeing  reduce social exclusion and poverty (Waddell G, Burton AK. Is work good for your health and well-being? 2006)

Who is ‘fit for work’? Activity

Employability  “Employability encompasses all the things that enable people to increase their chances of getting a job, staying in, and progressing further, in work”. Scottish Government, Workforce Plus, 2006  For each individual, there will be different reasons why they are not achieving what they would like in employment.

Is work good for health? Being in work is one of a range of factors recognised to influence good health For most adults of working age, including those with disabilities and common health problems, a return to work can:  promote recovery and aid rehabilitation  improve physical and mental health and wellbeing  reduce social exclusion and poverty (Waddell G, Burton AK. Is work good for your health and well-being? 2006)

Asking About Work  Asking your patients about work is an opportunity to improve their health chances.  When with a patient his/her employment status can be gathered both formally and informally  You and your team will decide when best to incorporate this on the care pathway.

W.O.R.K. Mnemonic

Resources For Patients:  Issue the Z Card (hard copies available from Health Information Resources at Summerfield House type in “work” and click “go”) For increasing your knowledge:  Hi-Net page:

Action Planning

Questions & Close