Ewan is Head of the Healthy Working Lives Group, which he established at the University of Glasgow in 1990. He divides his time between academic activities and provision of clinical Occupational Health and Safety services through his company MacOH Ltd.

Ewan chairs the Academic Forum for Health and Work in the UK and recently reported to the House of Lords on the Value of Occupational Health Research. Through his networks in the UK and his strong links with both the Society of Occupational Medicine and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Ewan continues to work tirelessly for universal access to Occupational Health in the UK.

Ewan developed the Healthy Working Lives paradigm and this was adopted as policy in Scotland. Subsequently, he stimulated its review which led to the Health Works Policy. During 2011, he chaired the implementation group of the first Health Works pilot to introduce a redesigned musculoskeletal service in the Health Service in Scotland with the aim of ensuring a more patient-centred faster service with a focus on return to maximum function including work, where appropriate.  Ewan also proposed the OHS Extra service which was the forerunner of the “Fit for Work” service across the UK.