Ceartas has just received confirmation that we have achieved our Healthy Working Lives Bronze Award. Healthy Working Lives is a scheme sponsored by NHS Health Scotland aimed at tackling Scotland’s poor health record by making employment part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Historically, Scotland has a poor record of occupational health with the legacy of shipbuilding, agriculture, mining and heavy engineering leading to a lot of work-related injuries and illness.

Healthy Working Lives’ vision is to give the workforce of Scotland the opportunity to work in ways that allow them not only to sustain, but also to improve, their health and well-being. Ceartas obviously wanted to be part of such a vision, and we are delighted that we have taken the first major step on that path.

Service Manager Sharon Bairden has been taking the lead on Healthy Working Lives within Ceartas. Sharon said, “Working through the Healthy Working Lives Bronze Award has really motivated the team. We have people going out for a walk at lunch time, thinking about their diet, about stress and about their general wellbeing. This is reflecting on people’s personal lives as well as their work lives, and we can already see positive changes as a result. We can’t wait to try for the Silver Award now!”

The Bronze Award is the first step on the Healthy Working Lives ladder, but that ladder leads to longer term policy and planning that places workforce health high up on the agenda of the organisation. You can find out more Healthy Working Lives at the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives website.