• The unique context and challenges for NHS Scotland which impact on colleague health and wellbeing
• Our policy approach and priorities for Health and Wellbeing across NHS Scotland
• Insights into the Health and Wellbeing work underway in our Health Boards and our plans for the future

• Explore the use of deep-dive analysis to uncover gaps in workplace wellbeing challenges.
• Understand how behavioural science can reveal insights and guide impactful wellbeing initiatives.
• Learn why evidence-based approaches are essential for creating sustainable change and maximising impact.
• Discover how considering the organisation as a whole system can enhance wellbeing outcomes.

With sickness absence continuing to impact workforce capacity, financial performance, and patient care, public sector organisations urgently need models that deliver both rapid insight and sustainable improvement. This session shares a live, real-time programme beginning on 1st January, with early results ready for presentation at the conference on 12^th February. Drawing on evidence-based occupational health, data analytics, behavioural insights, and leadership practice, this talk will unpack the core components of an Enhanced Sickness Absence Model, including proactive surveillance, risk stratification, and targeted interventions for mental health, musculoskeletal injuries, women’s health, and long-term conditions. Through practical examples, Nicola will demonstrate how systems can shift from reactive management to preventive, intelligence-driven workforce wellbeing. Delegates will gain a blueprint that can be deployed at speed while aligning with regional and national road maps.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the foundations of an Enhanced Sickness Absence Model

• Define what “enhanced” means in terms of surveillance, risk prediction, early intervention, and governance.
• Identify the structural gaps in current sickness processes and how rapid insight can close them.

2. Apply a 6-week rapid improvement cycle to sickness absence management

• Use a time-bound diagnostic framework for data, trends, hotspots, and root causes.
• Prioritise the highest-impact drivers of absence aligned to organisational risk appetite and statutory duties.

3. Implement evidence-based interventions for key clinical themes

• Mental health, musculoskeletal health, menopausal and women’s health, and long-term conditions.
• Practical actions to reduce episodes, shorten duration, and strengthen return-to-work outcomes.

4. Strengthen organisational governance and leadership accountability

• Embed clear accountability across HR, managers, and clinical/operational teams.
• Align practice with SEQOHS, HSE requirements, and NHS England wellbeing frameworks.

5. Build a sustainable, preventive approach to workforce health and wellbeing

• Use predictive analytics to identify risk early.
• Shift from reactive case management to proactive, population-based workforce health.

 This session explores how wellbeing at work is shaped less by grand strategies and more by the everyday conversations, micro-behaviours and leadership choices that quietly define organisational culture. Drawing on over 30 years of experience working across health, public and corporate sectors, Amy Hobson will share practical, evidence-based insights into how leaders and teams can move beyond wellbeing as an add-on, and instead embed it into how work actually gets done. Expect a thoughtful, engaging and highly practical session that connects positive psychology, organisational development and real-world change, leaving delegates with simple, human actions they can take back to their workplaces immediately, because every conversation really can count.

• Identify the growing gaps between how AI is changing work demands and how current health and insurance systems are set up to respond
• Spot early warning signs of workforce risk (burnout, absence, declining resilience) and understand why waiting to react is no longer enough
• Use a proactive framework for leveraging AI and real-time data to support employee wellbeing before problems escalate
• Assess their own organisation's readiness to move from traditional risk management toward systems that actively help people stay well at work

Lucy Kenyon, Non-Executive Director and Trustee, The Association of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals

Janet O'Neill, Director of Professional Development, Association of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals

Considering the political aspirations and changes proposed to support people to remain in and return to work, there is a lot that Occupational Health can offer. iOH has been publishing and advocating a multidisciplinary approach for many years and will take this opportunity to bring this alive. Demonstrating the value of Occupational Health in supporting people and organisations as well the changes that can be driven with good use of Occupational Health. This is therefore an opportunity to dive into the core of Occupational Health and the developments that are elevating the profession’s reach and influence.

• Health risks in the future – ageing workforce, multi morbidity

• The Government’s response e.g. Keep Britain Working

• Issues e.g. incentives, fit notes, health and work conversations by health professionals

• Opportunities – local delivery with work coaches and Job Centre plus teams, public health, social prescribers, link with Occupational Health  

Employers can be understandably confused by reasonable adjustments .  They may not know what they are, their importance and their cost and as a result may not deliver them effectively or even at all.  In this session we will focus on:

• What ‘reasonable adjustments’ means
• The role adjustments play in supporting someone to remain in or return to work
• Where healthcare fits into the adjustments equation
• Designing adjustments within a person +  business framework: capability and capacity
• What adjustments look like in practice
• The importance of regular review and revision

Workplace wellbeing is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s a strategic imperative. IOSH’s latest global research reveals a stark disconnect between organisational intentions and real-world impact. Despite increased investment, two-thirds of businesses report rising health and wellbeing issues, driven by psychosocial risks, long working hours, and hybrid work challenges. This presentation explores why current approaches fall short and the urgent need for prevention-first strategies. It looks at solutions for helping organisations embed health and wellbeing into their occupational health and safety management systems through robust risk management, clear metrics and evaluation, leadership commitment, and holistic design. Learn how to move from fragmented initiatives to action and integrated solutions that prevent harm, protect people and power sustainable performance.

Izabella Natrins, CEO, UK & International Health Coaching Association

Dr Jennifer Walmsley, General Practitioner and Lifestyle Medicine Physician

• Understand workforce health risks: diabetes (~3M workers), obesity (~9M workers), their co-existence (~3M workers), and the impact on recruitment, retention and productivity
• Recognise the business consequences of chronic health conditions: sickness absence, loss of organisational knowledge, and the potential ROI of addressing them
• Learn the role of Registered Health and Wellbeing Coaches in delivering practical, workplace-ready whole health and wellbeing support to improve employee health and productivity
• Explore strategies to empower employees to manage their health and remain work (or return to) work
• Develop approaches to foster safe, stigma-free conversations that enhance engagement and wellbeing
• Discover how leaders and policies can embed a culture of whole-health and wellbeing to strengthen performance, loyalty and talent retention.