Introduction
The Vocational Rehabilitation service is offered as an enhancement to the Community Stroke Team.
Vocational Rehabilitation is support for individuals with impairment or disability to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining or returning to employment.
This service supports Northamptonshire Stroke Survivors, who have had their stroke within the last 12 months and who have active vocational goals.
Goals could include:
- Work Preparation: Skill & stamina building, developing strategies to return to current role if you are off sick due to your stroke.
- Work Retention: Once returned to work, troubleshooting any difficulties that arise as a result of your stroke.
- Return to Work: Finding alternative roles within your current or other organisations.
- Exit from Work: Leaving your job role on medical grounds and searching for alternative roles or meaningful activity.
The team consists of:
- A Specialist Occupational Therapist
- A Rehabilitation Practitioner
Our Aims
- To provide support if you need help returning to your current job, if you need to look for alternative roles or if you are exiting work due to your stroke and need to look for meaningful occupations.
- We aim to prevent you from exiting work unnecessarily and to find ways for you to stay in work.
- We will complete assessments to identify strengths, recommend adjustments for difficulties following a stroke and advise employers to ensure your return to work is effective and suitable for your needs.
The Process
- Referral: You may be referred to the service following your initial hospital admission, following your time with the Community Stroke Team therapists or from your 6-month review. You may also be referred following your Stroke Consultant review.
- Assessment:You will be contacted for an initial assessment, which will include discussion around your current abilities and your job role.
- Goal Setting: You will set goals with your therapist relating to your vocational needs.
- Intervention: The treatment process will continue from here, working towards your goals. This may include further rehabilitation activities, workplace assessments and phased return recommendations.
- Discharge and Review: You will be discharged when your vocational goals have been addressed. You will be offered review periods to ensure your work plans are maintained.
Useful Contacts
Stroke Association
www.stroke.org.uk
0303 3033 100 (calls charged at local rate)
Community Law Service
For any benefit advice to support with return to work 01604 621038.
ACAS
For any advice on employment problems. 0300 123 1100 (calls charged at local rate)
Job Centre
To be supported with benefit application and/or a work coach to help find work if you are unemployed as a result of your stroke. 0845 604 3719 (call charges depend on your network provider)
Department for Work and Pensions
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
Citizen’s Advice Bureau
For any benefit or employment law advice - 0345 404 0506 (call charges depend on your network provider).
If you are self-employed, not receiving sick pay or require benefit support whilst engaging in rehabilitation, you may be eligible for Universal Credit or Employment Support Allowance.
You can access this information through .gov website or contact Community Law for help with applying for these benefits.
Other Information
Northampton General Hospital operates a smoke-free policy. This means that smoking is not allowed anywhere on the Trust site, this includes all buildings, grounds and car parks.
Leaflets, information, advice and support on giving up smoking and on nicotine replacement therapy are available from the Stop Smoking helpline on 0845 6013116, the free national helpline on 0300 123 1044, e-mail: smokefree@nhft.nhs.uk and pharmacies.
Car parking at Northampton General Hospital is extremely limited and it is essential to arrive early, allowing ample time for parking. Alternatively, you may find it more convenient to be dropped off and collected.
This information can be provided in other languages and formats upon request including Braille, audio cassette and CD. Please contact (01604) 523442 or the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) on (01604) 545784, email: ngh-tr.pals@nhs.net.
Last Updated September 2021
NGV2448