Silver celebrations are in order at the offices of Careers Scotland (CS) and Shetland Enterprise (SE) this week where they will be toasting their health at work success.

The two organisations have jointly attained the silver award in the Scotland's Health at Work (SHAW) programme, a national award scheme which makes up part of the new Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives. As part of SE, the three-strong Unst Response Team has also been part of the initiative which is helping to forge one of many common goals between the three staff groups.

CS and SE have already achieved a bronze award in the scheme by demonstrating that they have a health promotion working group and provide opportunities for staff to raise health issues.

However, since then a number of new improvements have been implemented such as making healthy food available at meetings, launching a policy to promote physical activity and providing staff with an opportunity to visit the HIE network's occupational health manager to check their height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure and receive general health advice.

As part of the SHAW scheme Vaila Angus of Careers Scotland organised a coffee morning for all staff to improve understanding of Multiple Sclerosis, raising £170 for charity.

In addition all staff will attend two health seminars which, they agreed, should be on healthy eating and oral health.

Locality Manager of Careers Scotland, Andy Carter said: "SHAW has been a big help to staff in reviewing their health and lifestyle in and outwith work.  We have all enjoyed working together to gain the Silver SHAW Award.  Everybody is looking forward to the events that are planned for the coming year."

Chief executive of Shetland Enterprise, Ann Black said: "I am delighted that Shetland Enterprise, Careers Scotland and the Unst Response team have proved how successfully we work together to achieve our targets. Improving our healthcare is good for us personally as well as for our performance at work.

"We're delighted to have achieved SHAW silver award status and look forward to devising further ways to improve healthy practices at work and, hopefully, scoop the gold award."

Over 809,000 Scots, representing over 40 per cent of the country's workforce, now participate in the SHAW programme.

The SHAW programme, along with Safe and Healthy Working (SaHW) and the business and employability strands of Scotland Against Drugs, now falls under the auspices of the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives which was set up in April 2005 to drive forward Scotland's effort to improve the health of Scots of working age.

Steve Bell, Director of the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, said: "It is testimony to the great work which SHAW has done over the years that so many of Scotland's companies and organisations have embraced the need to create a highly trained, healthy and motivated workforce to help Scotland succeed as national and international player.

"We have been delighted to see the positive impact which SHAW has made to individuals and workplaces and this critically important work will be strengthened and taken forward through bringing together this programme under a single national centre, the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives."

Companies and organisations in Shetland wishing to find out more about the SHAW programme should contact Leona Johnson, SHAW Area co-ordinator on 01595  743389 or email leona.johnson@shb.shetland.scot.nhs.uk