Posted on: 16 July 2025
A ground-breaking rehabilitation initiative developed in West Yorkshire is helping people with long covid return to work and reclaim their lives - and is now being scaled up as part of the region’s Healthy Working Life programme.
Launched in response to the rise in long covid-related illness, the vocational rehabilitation programme brings people together in virtual group sessions and one-to-one support, helping them manage symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and anxiety.
The programme has delivered remarkable results. Of those who were off sick and not working before joining, 93% successfully returned to work and stayed employed. Additionally, 98% of people at risk of leaving their jobs were able to remain in their roles.
J
ez Gee, Rehabilitation Lead, said:
“This isn’t just about long covid. It’s about putting rehabilitation at the heart of healthcare, so everyone has the tools, confidence and support to stay in or return to meaningful work.”
Faye Peary, Clinical Occupational Therapy Lead, added:
“Our goal is simple. To empower people with long-term conditions to live and work well - now and in the future.”
Building on the long covid programme’s impact, the approach is being extended to support people with a wider range of long-term or multiple health conditions. Work is already underway to embed vocational rehabilitation into cardiac, pulmonary and stroke services, expand peer and speech therapy support and train more health professionals across the region to deliver work-focused care.
Healthy Working Life is a joint programme of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) that will deliver the aims of the government’s Getting Britain Working White Paper.
For more information, see the case study and visit the Healthy Working Life website pages.