Job strain, a combination of high demand and low control, is associated with an increased risk of subsequent clinical depression, a meta-analysis has found. Patients who report stress at work are both more likely to be depressed and more likely to become depressed. In the UK in 2015/16, work-related stress accounted for 37% of work-related ill health and 45% of working days lost. When helping patients get back to work it is important to discuss ways of reducing job strain and the demand control support model provides a helpful framework.