Strengthening Employability Partnerships
Building stronger partnerships between Local Employability Partnerships and NHS Boards
This page brings together guidance, tools and resources to support stronger partnership working between Local Employability Partnerships and NHS Boards. Developed through the NHS Scotland Parental Employability Framework, it provides practical guidance, implementation tools, case studies and supporting resources to help partners design and deliver employability pathways for parents and carers.
Whether you work in employability, workforce planning, recruitment, workforce development, service management or a Local Employability Partnership, you will find resources to support the planning, development and delivery of employability programmes and initiatives.
Explore on this site:
- Introduction
- Local Employability Partnership Framework
- Health Board Engagement Framework
- Options for Joint Working
Have a question or suggestion?
If you have any questions about the information provided, or if you think additional content would be helpful, please contact the Centre for Workforce Supply at nes.cwsmarketing@nhs.scot.
Introduction
Strong local partnerships are essential to improving employability outcomes and creating pathways into sustainable employment. Recognising the important role NHS Boards can play as major local employers and anchor institutions, the LEP-Health Board Interface Task and Finish Group was established to improve collaboration between Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) and Health Boards across Scotland.
Reporting to the Anchors Workforce Strategic Group, the group brought together partners from local government, health, and national organisations to identify barriers to joint working, share effective practice, strengthen strategic dialogue, and unlock opportunities for Health Boards to play a more active role within local employability systems.
This work has resulted in a suite of practical resources designed to support stronger partnership working, clearer roles and responsibilities, and enhanced delivery of employability support at a local level.
Quick Start Guide
Use the guide below to find the resources most relevant to your role and stage of programme development.
| Resource | Description | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Local Employability Partnership Framework | A national guidance document that supports the leadership, governance and effective operation of Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) across Scotland. The framework sets out shared expectations for partnership working, helping organisations work collaboratively to plan, commission and oversee employability services that respond to local needs and labour market demand. | It provides practical guidance on leadership and relationships, governance, the use of data and evidence, stakeholder engagement, resource planning, and measuring impact, supporting LEPs to deliver a coordinated, person-centred approach to employability through the No One Left Behind programme. |
| LEP-Health Board Engagement Framework | This framework supports stronger partnership working between Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) and NHS Boards. It provides a shared approach to strategic engagement, outlining the roles, responsibilities and commitments of both partners to help create fair work opportunities, improve workforce participation and support people at risk of economic disadvantage into sustainable employment. | It highlights opportunities for collaboration, addresses common challenges, and shares examples of successful partnership approaches from across Scotland to support local planning and delivery. |
| Menu of Options for Joint Working | This practical resource supports Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) and NHS Boards to identify and agree joint actions that strengthen partnership working and improve employability outcomes. Designed as a flexible menu of options rather than a prescriptive framework, it helps partners develop shared priorities, action plans and collaborative approaches tailored to local needs. | The resource includes examples of local processes, employability interventions, vocational training opportunities and health support services. |
Local Employability Partnership Framework
Insights from the LEP-Health Board Interface Task and Finish Group informed the development of the revised Local Employability Partnership Framework (2025). Updated following the 2024 LEP Maturity Assessment, the framework provides guidance to support the continued development and effectiveness of Local Employability Partnerships.
The Framework provides guidance on:
- leadership and relationships,
- governance structures,
- effective use of data and evidence,
- performance, accountability and impact.
- Core LEP member roles and responsibilities, including Health.
Download the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) Framework:
Health Board Engagement Framework
The LEP–Health Board Engagement Framework was co‑designed by Health Boards, Local Government, Scottish Government and the Improvement Service. The framework sets out clear expectations for engagement, roles and responsibilities, and communication processes.
The framework aims to:
- Improve consistency of engagement across Scotland
- Strengthen alignment between health and employability priorities
- Support more effective local partnership working
- Enable Health Boards to engage earlier and more strategically with employability planning.
Download the LEP-Health Board Engagement Framework:
Options for Joint Working
A subgroup of the Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development (SLAED) People Group then came together to develop the Menu of Options for joint working (across themes of process changes, interventions, vocational courses, and health supports).
Building on the Engagement Framework, a subgroup of the Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development (SLAED) People Group developed a practical Menu of Options for Joint Working.
The resource highlights opportunities for collaboration between LEPs and Health Boards across a range of themes, providing practical examples that partnerships can adapt to local circumstances. These themes are:
- Process Changes: Examples of how partners can improve referral pathways, recruitment processes and partnership arrangements.
- Employability Interventions: Approaches that support individuals into employment through tailored employability activity and collaborative programmes.
- Vocational Courses: Opportunities for developing sector-specific training and workforce pipelines linked to NHS employment opportunities.
- Health and Wellbeing Supports: Examples of how health-related services and interventions can support participation, progression and sustained employment.
Download the Menu of Options for Joint Working:
Explore the NHS Scotland Parental Employability Hub
