The Healthy Working Lives Group (HWLG) is a clinically led research, teaching, and practice group focused on one simple question:
How do we help people stay healthy, productive, and in work across their working lives?
What makes us different is not just what we study — but how closely our work is grounded in real clinical and workplace practice!
Based at the University of Glasgow and founded in 1990, HWLG has over three decades of experience at the intersection of occupational medicine, public health, employability, and work-focused healthcare. Our work spans research, education, policy development and frontline professional training.
Clinically Led. Practice Focused.
HWLG is led by occupational physicians and health professionals with extensive experience in:
- occupational medicine and vocational rehabilitation
- sickness absence and return-to-work pathways
- workforce retention and ageing at work
- health-related job loss and inequality
- clinical standards, competency, and professional education
We work with clinicians, employers, regulators, policymakers, and professional bodies to ensure our research and teaching translate into real-world impact, not just publications.
This clinical leadership underpins everything we do — especially our education and training.
Part of the University of Glasgow
HWLG sits within the School of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities.
Our external site exists to provide clear, accessible information about our programmes and activities. HWLG courses are delivered through the University of Glasgow. The Diploma qualifications are awarded by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine following its examinations and eligibility requirements.
Education That Reflects the Reality of Practice
We deliver postgraduate preparatory education and continuing professional development designed for working clinicians.
Our flagship programme is the University of Glasgow preparatory course for the Faculty of Occupational Medicine’s Diploma in Occupational Medicine and Diploma in Occupational Health Practice examinations. It is built around the realities of modern clinical careers:
- flexible study alongside clinical work
- clear relevance to day-to-day practice
- teaching led by experienced occupational physicians
- content informed by current research, policy, and service delivery
We don’t teach occupational medicine as an abstract discipline.
We teach it as a practical, evidence-based clinical specialty.
Research With Purpose
HWLG conducts applied research that informs:
- occupational health practice
- health and work policy
- service design and evaluation
- workforce wellbeing and retention
Our work has contributed to national and international guidance, competency frameworks, and policy discussions across health, employment, and social care systems.
Crucially, our research feeds directly back into our teaching — ensuring that what we deliver in the classroom reflects the best available evidence, not outdated assumptions.
Our Ethos
We believe that:
- work is a key determinant of health
- good occupational health practice improves lives and systems
- clinicians deserve training that respects their time and intelligence
- education should be rigorous, relevant, and humane
If you’re interested in occupational medicine — whether as a career pathway, an additional qualification, or a way to improve your clinical practice — you’re in the right place.
Healthy Working Lives Group 