The Healthy Working Lives Group at the University of Glasgow is independently evaluating Working for a Healthy Economy (WFHE), a health and employability programme delivered across Ayrshire. We are looking at how case management supports people to stay in work, return after an absence or move towards employment when their health is a barrier.
How the programme works
WFHE began in May 2021 as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal. The programme is delivered by NHS Salus Return to Work Services, working with local employability services. It supports people who live or work in Ayrshire, including people who are out of work, people who are off sick and people who are still working but finding it difficult to stay in work.
A health professional assesses the person’s health, work situation and priorities. A case manager helps them agree goals and plan their next steps. Depending on what the person needs, this can include support to manage health conditions, coordination with employability services or referral to support such as physiotherapy or counselling.
What we are evaluating
- Access and engagement. How people find the programme, who refers them and what makes it easier or harder to take up and continue with support.
- Health and work. What changes are recorded while people use the service, and what participants say about their health, wellbeing, confidence and ability to stay in, return to or move towards work.
- Case management and partnership working. How health and employability staff work together, where handovers work well and where people encounter gaps in support.
- Lessons for service design. What could improve access and delivery, and which aspects might be useful in other settings.
How we are doing the research
Routine service data. We examine records of referrals, engagement, support provided and the outcomes recorded during the programme. Where the data allow, we compare recorded health and work status at entry and closure. The analysis describes patterns among people using the service. Changes over time can also reflect other support or changes in people’s circumstances.
Experiences of service users, staff and referrers. Service users can share their experiences through a survey, a one-to-one interview or a focus group. Interviews with delivery staff and focus groups with referrers explore how the service operates in practice. This helps us understand experiences and barriers that routine service records may miss.
Bringing the evidence together. We compare patterns in the service records with what people tell us about using, delivering or referring into the programme. We look at where these sources agree and where they tell different stories. Participation in interviews, surveys and focus groups is voluntary, and findings are reported without identifying individuals.
Current status
The evaluation is ongoing. We are bringing together evidence about who the programme reaches, how support is delivered and what changes people experience. The findings will inform local service improvement and contribute to wider discussions about how to join up health and employability support.
