“I feel like I’m me again”

Ellie (name changed to protect identity) is a senior health professional who has recently used the Healthy Working Life Programme’s Vocational Rehab service. This is her story about how the service helped her return to employment, when she thought she would never be able to work again.

Ellie was signed off work after an employer IT update removed digital tools she relied on to manage dyslexia and working-memory difficulties. The change led to burnout, significant cognitive and physical symptoms - and fears that she would never work again.

Referred to the Vocational Rehabilitation service in Bradford District and Craven, Ellie received a work-focused assessment, personalised rehabilitation plan and access to specialist clinicians through one-to-one sessions, group support and clinics. She also received an independent allied health professional (AHP) health and work report outlining practical, reasonable adjustments and a phased return to work, which was accepted by her employer.

Ellie said: “It made a big difference in just knowing the service was there, that it is independent, designed to help me back to work, with a rehabilitation focus, and with knowledge about health conditions and reasonable adjustments.

The service helped Ellie pace her recovery, understand her rights under the Equality Act and rebuild confidence. She has now returned to work on a phased basis with agreed adjustments in place. As a result of the AHP report, her organisation is also reviewing how future IT updates consider the needs of staff who rely on specific tools to work effectively.

Ellie says the support helped her realise she was not the problem and gave her confidence that she can stay in work long term.

Ellie added: “I am back in work, and I know I can stay in work. I know why this happened, I know how to stop it happening again and that gives me a lot of confidence. I feel positive in my own abilities.

“If it wasn’t for the Vocational Rehab service I would have internalised all of this. I’d have thought I’d failed, that I was useless, that I was finished on the scrap heap. I do feel positive now, like I have a future and I didn’t before. I feel like I’m me again.”

Read the full story on our Healthy Working Life case study pages.

Healthy Working Life is a joint programme of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.