NCSI VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROJECT Ed Murphy on behalf of Lyn Bruce, VR Project Manager ) July 2011

Vocational rehabilitation Vocational Rehabilitation defined as ‘whatever helps someone with a health problem, to stay at, return to and remain in work’.

The pilot sites

Some key features of pilots 4 Employer Partnerships CMP foundations Upskilling existing staff Workplace assessments VR Project

5

Early findings Cancer patients want information about work early Health professionals give mixed messages Line managers often lack knowledge & skills to manage staff with cancer Cancer patients are unaware of their employment rights Expert VR advisers can predict & pre-empt problems patients are not yet aware of

2 nd Interim Evaluation Lack of understanding of the term ‘Vocational Rehabilitation’ – Work support is seen as more appropriate or understandable Identification of VR advisor competencies Adoption of 3 level model Importance of other professional groups in providing work support e.g. cancer information centres, government employment advisors Open access to information and support Active self- management Specialist vocational rehabilitation Increasing ‘complexity of need’ National Cancer Survivorship Initiative

Level 1 Access to work related printed & on line information from Macmillan Level 2 Enhancement of existing skills and knowledge of existing professional groups Level 3 – VR Adviser Support Work Support and VR through the three levels

Macmillan work and cancer resources

What will be the VR legacy? Critical success criteria in establishing VR/Work Support Competency profile for VR Adviser workforce Guidance for commissioning of VR/Work Support A VR services organisational development toolkit Development of partnership working on VR/Work Support across the four nations

Questions