The Vocational Rehabilitation Association (2008) defines Vocational Rehabilitation as “a process, which enables persons with functional, psychological, developmental, cognitive, and emotional impairments or health conditions to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining or returning to employment or other useful occupation”. A wide range of Interventions may be provided by a range of appropriately trained and experienced professionals who may be based in the public, voluntary or private sector (Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health 2008).
You have already started to talk to Rosemary and her employer about return to work. You may be able to use your understanding of her stroke and rehabilitation to inform reasonable adjustments or strategies to help her manage in work. Who else can support?
Access to Work
Access to Work is a government scheme which can help people who are at work, about to start work or are self-employed and whose health or disability affects their ability to do their job. It can help the person and their employer by providing advice and financial support to meet the person’s needs at work. Access to Work may offer financial support for equipment, adapting premises, or a support worker and may be able to help if a communication support worker is needed at job interviews. It can also contribute to the cost of getting to work if public transport is unsuitable.
For more information about Access to Work, please see: Directgov: Access to Work – practical help at work
Voluntary Services
Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland
tel: adviceline 0808 8010899
email: [email protected]
The Stroke Association
helpline: 03033 033 100
email: [email protected]
Momentum
tel: 0141 419 5299
email: [email protected]
Abilitynet – gives impartial advice and assistance to disabled people to enable them to use computers and ICT technology through adapting and adjusting that technology to meet the individuals needs.
tel: 0800 269 545
email: [email protected]
Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists specialise in identifying and treating difficulties with physical strength, posture, balance, movement, stamina and mobility and can help to identify whether a physical problem is caused or made worse by a person’s work. They may work with the person to improve their physical ability or suggest changes to the way they carry out their job. Physiotherapists may be based in out-patient rehabilitation services, occupational health services, community health centres or community services.
Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and language Therapists work with the person to improve their communication abilities, suggest changes to the way work is carried out and recommend specialist equipment or resources that can enable the person to communicate successfully.
Stroke Nurse Specialist/Young Person’s Support Worker
The Stroke Specialist Nurse/Young Person’s Support Worker can offer practical help and emotional support throughout the process of returning to work, can refer to appropriate individuals and/or agencies for help, and can liaise with employers and OHS personnel on behalf of the person who has had a stroke.
Working Health Services/Fit for Work Services
Through this scheme a number of vocational rehabilitation services are being developed around the country.
Tel no: 0800 019 2211
Occupational Health Service
Many employees will have access to an Occupational Health Service (OHS) through their employer. The OHS will give impartial advice about a disabled employee’s ability to do their job and about any adjustment needed to support them to remain in or return to work. OHS staff are usually medical and nursing staff who specialise in understanding and improving the relationship between work and health. To help them do this they may seek further information and support from other health professionals, such as the employee’s general practitioner or medical consultant. The OHS may also provide or access additional services to support the employee to return to or remain at work, such as counsellors, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
JobCentre Plus
A range of schemes to support disabled people into work are provided through Jobcentre plus. These include New Deal for Disabled People, Work Preparation, Job Introduction, Pathways to Work, Residential training and WORKSTEP.
For more information about these schemes please see: Directgov: Work schemes and programmes.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapists specialise in the relationship between the person, the environment and the activity being carried out. They can help to identify the cause of a person’s difficulty at work and what can be done to address it. Occupational Therapists will work with the person to: improve their ability; recommend changes to the work environment or changes to the way the work is carried out, or they may suggest alternative equipment. In some areas occupational therapists will be based in out-patient rehabilitation services, other areas in community services, such as community rehabilitation teams.
Page last reviewed: 08 Apr 2021
