The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives

As of 1 April 2006, SHAW merged with other partners such as Safe and Healthy Working and the business and employability strands of Scotland Against Drugs, to form the basis for an innovative new organisation which is known as " The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives".

Over time, other partners such as the Department of Work and Pensions, Health & Safety Executive, Enterprise and Lifelong learning and local authorities will also contribute strongly to the work of this new Centre. Together, this will form the basis of a future vision, to have a "one-stop-shop" for employers, employees and those wishing to return to work. In essence its function is to improve the health of working age people in Scotland.

The SHAW award will soon be replaced with a new Healthy Working Lives award which was launched in January 2007. Companies currently working towards SHAW will have been able to achieve their current SHAW award until March. After that, all assessments are now for the Healthy Working Lives award. By taking part in Healthy Working Lives your establishment can:

• Enhance your reputation as a responsible and well-managed educational establishment, helping you to attract and keep employees
• Raise your profile among your local community,
• Improve productivity by reducing absence rates and supporting staff back to work
• Avoid health and safety pitfalls and protect employees from workplace hazards

As a starting point for you, here is some more information about our pioneering new Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives:

• The Centre is hosted by NHS Health Scotland, and has its own Advisory Group. The Advisory Group embraces a wide range of partner interests including the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities, the Health and Safety Executive, the Department for Work & Pensions, Job Centre Plus, the Scottish Trades Union Council, the Scottish Executive and employers of all sizes and sectors.
• The Centre will work to improve the health of working age people in Scotland by ensuring healthier and safer workplaces, promoting healthier lifestyles and developing employability.
• The Centre will provide or offer access to high quality support, advice and guidance to Scottish employers on all aspects of the healthy working lives agenda; 
• The Centre will engage and work alongside partners and stakeholders in the delivery and development of opportunities for healthy working lives in Scotland; 
• The Centre will co-ordinate the design, delivery and review of projects and initiatives which support the development and delivery of the healthy working lives strategy. 
• The Centre will recognise the achievements of Scottish employers in contributing to health improvement in Scotland.

The last bullet point confirms that there will continue to be a workplace health award for Scottish workplaces.  We will keep our workplace clients informed of new developments as more information becomes available.

Our Award Ceremony this year is being held on Tuesday 9th September 2008

The East Region Healthy Working Lives award ceremony will take place at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline from 11.00 - 14.00.  Invites to qualifying companies have been sent out.