Neil Boyd

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Neil Boyd Project Manager Stirling Council
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• Following Employment Connections
  Evaluation(2004)
• Build on existing partnership with Jobcentre Plus
  (particularly those on inactive benefits)
• As the local health trust is drawn more closely
  into the welfare to work system, work with
  general practitioners and other community based
  medical staff in terms of patient referral and
  the use of social prescriptions.
• Richard Scothorne,Rocket Science

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Aims and Objectives

• To work with G.P.s and other health professionals
  in the
• Stirling Council area to encourage their
  patients to see work as
• part of a route towards good health.
• Offer our service as a single point of contact
  which
• health professionals can use to put their
  patients in touch with
• the Employability Support that already
  exists
• in Stirling.
• Gain their commitment to the development of our
• Service.

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Project Staff

• Stirling Council - Jean Nellies
  Careers Adviser
• 20 years experience
• Jobcentre Plus - Linda Gibb
  Disability Employment Adviser
• 20 years experience
• NHS Forth Valley - Louise Leiper
  Occupational Therapist
• 13 years experience

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Progress to Date

• Timescale
• Marketing/Networking
• Early engagement with NHS
• Ministerial Launch
• Stakeholders Group
• Service User Involvement
• Securing additional Equal in October

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Grace ChristiePublic Health PractitionerForth
Valley Health Board
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Addition of Health Adviser

• NHS are committed partners
• Extended access into NHS network
• Enabled access into national network of Health
  Advisers/Condition Managers
• Opened new referral route
• Added momentum to project

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Referrals to Project - 54

• GPs 12
• Physiotherapists 3
• Community Mental Health Services 3
• Back Pain Specialist 4
• STEP 1
• Area Rehab Team 2
• Self referral 2
• Local Area Co-ordinator 1
• Job Broker 1
• Job Centre 25
• Gender Breakdown 60 Male 40 Female

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Health Adviser Challenges

• Timescale
• Learning networks and management structures of
  partnership organisations
• Balancing the needs of NHS and the project
• Maintaining professional knowledge and skills

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Added value of-

• To partner organisations - learning is within
  their own frame of reference - credibility
• To health professionals referring - easy access
  to employability support - making it more likely
  they will use it
• To clients - referral is made at an appropriate
  stage by someone who understands their health
  situation

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Quote

• Musculoskeletal disorders and spinal problems
  in particular, are a leading cause of disability
  in working age populations.Ongoing pain
  interferes with well being and affects mood,
  social interaction,function and work. Evidence
  shows that a team approach from health care
  professionals and partners is the most effective
  way of dealing with issues which accompany pain.
• Wellconnected is an invaluable part of our
  team - providing us with an avenue of support
  crucial to the patients rehabilitation.
• Norma Turvill Forth Valley Back Pain
  Specialist

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Quote

• Having a one-stop shop that puts health and
  work together so effectively and with feedback is
  a major advance for patients and GP. I look
  forward to auditing the outcomes in 6-9 months
  time
• Dr Philip Gaskell General Practitioner

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Some Learning Outcomes

• Maintain a clear focus on common goals
• 3 different systems for I.T, security,confidential
  ity and staff development - each organisation has
  relevant experts use them and press for outcomes
• Develop the referral and feedback system with the
  people who will be using it
• Jargon be aware
• Target activity - narrow it down, establish good
  practice then let it grow
• Health service cannot easily identify people by
  their state benefit
• You have to be up for a challenge its a
  developmental project!

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Questions