Job Retention Strategy
The DWP is leading the development of a Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation to which we have contributed. This framework looks at the responsibility of employers; the availability of occupational health services and primary care interventions; and the most effective support from rehabilitation providers. The Work and Health Information Gateway offers a lot of information about workplace health. In 2003, Bury EST launched a pilot job retention Sservice in partnership with Bury Primary Care Trust and Redbank Group Practice in Radcliffe. This pilot service was aimed at patients who experienced stress related illnesses and other disabling conditions which threatened their employment status. The service accepted referrals from the GPs in the practice. A Job Retention Officer was appointed to case-manage all referrals and to intervene at an early stage following a diagnosis of stress. During the pilot, over 60 per cent of clients were contacted within the first week of referral. The utilisation of this early intervention strategy meant that beneficiaries received immediate help to retain their employment. By locating this service ‘up stream’ towards Primary Care and the GP Practice, it dramatically improved the possibility of a successful return to work for beneficiaries. Early intervention was underpinned by a holistic approach to beneficiary assessment and ‘back to work planning.’ This enabled a client’s work and personal situation to be analysed in order to identify factors contributing towards a beneficiary’s job retention issues. This determined what and how such issues would be addressed in the beneficiaries ‘back to work’ plan. However the key to this process being energised was that beneficiaries felt empowered to take ownership of the ‘back to work’ process. This was achieved by the Job Retention Officer supporting them in identifying and analysing their problems and coming up with workable solutions. It soon became apparent that, often, it was not work issues alone that caused clients to refer themselves to their GPs. Work always seemed to be a part of the problem and may well have been the main factor but, in some cases, clients were laying all the reasons for stress on their working situation when, in fact, it was external/personal problems that were the major contributing factors. A barrier faced by this target group was a lack of organised professional help to examine the above problems and intervene to preventing the downward spiral, in terms of health, personal life and financial crisis that can occur as a result of losing employment. The Job Retention Officer acted as both a co-ordinator and a deliverer of services. A major role was to facilitate conflict resolution and mediation between the beneficiary and their employer. Any other issues such as health, family an financial problems were addressed, as far as possible, by bringing in other professional assistance. A number of agencies were often involved in a single job retention case and it became the Officer’s task to involve and enlist each ‘player’ to support the ‘back-to-work programme. However, a lack of existing specialist provision locally often meant that the Officer had to provide a range of welfare services such as counselling and support in developing anxiety management skills. Over the lifetime of the pilot, the service supported a total of 83 clients the majority of these (86%) had a diagnosis of depression, anxiety or stress. Sixty one clients were supported in retaining or changing their employment. This job retention rate is consistent with the positive feedback from beneficiary and GP surveys on the quality of the service. The service stopped in 2005 due to the ending of European funding and Bury PCT's refusal to provide funds to continue or extend the service. |
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There is an increasing focus on job retention strategies to prevent people having to leave work
and sign on Incapacity Benefit. Over 2.7 million people are on Incapacity Benefit in the UK,
9,800 in Bury alone. It has been estimated that once a person has been on Incapacity Benefit
for 1 year then they have only a 20% chance of returning to work within the next 5 years. 41%
of claimants have been on the benefit for over 5 years. The Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP), the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and insurance companies are working to change
this situation. The DWP have piloted some
