Hi I am interested in members' experiences of rehabilitating - keeping people in work or returning them to work - people at work. What experience do you have of this - negative and positive? What has worked for you in your role? Do you feel you have the necessary skills, training and experience to do this? Have you mainly dealt with injuries, physical illnesses or mental illnesses/stress? Do you use outside services - rehabilitation, medical, counselling? What has been your experience of NHS care or rehabilitation services? This is an area of interest for me at work (as a safety manager) and in terms of study. I am a graduate member of IOSH and a professional member of the vocational rehabilitation association. Let me know if you would in the future be prepared to let me contact you for research purposes. Thanbks ian

Thanks Kieran.

Thanks Steve. Do you have eperience regading any of my questions. I am trying to assertain our professions experience of rehabilitation - either done by ourelves or by contractors. Regards Ian

My experience of this is almost overwhelmingly positive and I actually find this one of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of my work. I work within an HR team and have been involved in this kind of work for a long while. We all work together with the employee concerned, the manager. GPs, OH, Access to Work etc to assist people to get back into the workplace and hopefully back to their chosen work as soon as possible. This is important for the dignity and self-esteem of the individual concerned and reduces the impact on their workmates and helps to maintain service levels. It can be hard work, a long slog, you have to use your ‘people skills’, think ‘outside of the box’ a bit, but when it all comes together it can be immensely satisfying to see someone back to work and happy. This is the really is where we can help by ‘enabling’ people. The new Med 3 ‘Fit note’ means that we may all be involved in more of this kind of work as well.

The answers to your questions depend a lot on the business areas that a person works in as transiant and similar business areas are not in a position to look at rehab as they are usually working in short term, fast moving work with high failure penality contracts and temp staff One for your research: I find that where such activities can take place they are very rewarding and positive for all concerned

Thanks for all your responses. Would anyone be interested in an IOSH group about Rehabilitation? Ian