This activity is part of Healthy Working Life, a joint programme from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, focused on helping people stay healthy, well and in work.
About the service
The Employment and Pain Service supports people living with long-term musculoskeletal (MSK) pain to stay in or return to work, especially those at risk of going off sick or losing their job.
Available across Bradford District and Craven, it offers personalised coaching, practical workshops, workplace support and follow-up after returning to work. The aim is to help people manage their health, build confidence and create new opportunities through work.
Meet Alexandria
Alexandria is 36 and has worked as a special needs transport assistant at Bradford Council for 14 years.
She has lived with depression and anxiety for many years. Last year she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
“I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t move. My body was just literally burning. It was like my bones were on fire.”
Like many people with persistent pain, Alexandria felt stuck.
“All doctors do is give you painkillers.”
But Alexandria wanted something different.
Finding the right support
After being referred to the Employment and Pain Service in October 2025, Alexandria attended a range of workshops focused on diet, sleep, wellbeing and pain management. She also began one-to-one sessions with Health Coach Sean Johnson for personalised support.
At the time, Alexandria had been off work for almost a month following a breakdown linked to her generalised anxiety disorder and was worried about her dad’s health after he needed a pacemaker. She had also carried grief from losing her uncle at 14, who had been like a second dad, a loss that had deeply affected her for years.
“I let my mental health rule me for a lot of years.”
Through conversations with Sean and Steph Bramley, something shifted.
“Steph said to me, ‘What are you running from?’ And I said, ‘Running from my life. I want a better life.’ That made me realise.”
Building confidence at work
Alexandria describes how the regular face-to-face sessions with Sean, alongside phone calls and texts really helped build confidence in the workplace.
“It helps having someone to talk to who doesn’t judge you.”
Together, they focused on helping Alexandria manage her pain without relying only on medication, pace her energy, set realistic goals, plan for the future and build the confidence to explore new job opportunities.
Sean has seen the change first-hand: “Alexandria has worked incredibly hard. She’s taken on the strategies, challenged herself and grown in confidence. The difference in how she talks about her future now is huge.”
Taking back control
For Alexandria, this journey wasn’t just about staying in work - it was about changing her relationship with her health.
“Because I let my mental health rule me, I’m not letting fibro rule me. I’m pushing my boundaries.”
She now cooks from scratch, hikes regularly across North Yorkshire, the Cleveland Way, the Peak District and the Lake District, has lost weight to be the lightest she’s been in years and manages her mental health with practical tools.
She also recognised a pattern in her life: “Before the programme I spent a lot of time doing stuff for other people and not thinking about myself. I was a people pleaser. Now I just do what I need to do for me.”
Work is no longer just a job - it’s part of her recovery and future. She has goals to apply for new roles, move out of her parents’ home, explore family plans and complete the West Highland Way in Scotland this year.
“I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do this if Sean hadn’t literally sat me down and listened to me and spoken through it. My mental health’s under control. I’m finally feeling where I want to be.”
Advice to others
Alexandria is clear about one thing - you have to be ready to engage. “Just reach out and ask for help. They’re there to help. You need listening ears.”
But she also emphasises personal responsibility.
“You’ve got to put the work in. You’re the person who can change what you want to change, not anyone else. And that’s what I’ve learnt.”
The difference it has made
Through personalised coaching, practical pain management, emotional support and work-focused conversations, Alexandria has:
- stayed in employment
- avoided long-term sickness absence
- reduced reliance on medication
- improved her mental and physical wellbeing
- gained confidence to pursue new career opportunities
- rebuilt hope for her future
“I’m so grateful to both Steph and Sean.”
Alexandria’s story shows how the right support, at the right time, can turn work into a positive outcome – opening doors instead of closing them.
You can also view 'Alexandria’s journey with the Employment and Pain Service' case study as a PDF.