Articles / Case Studies
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Visualise Training and Consultancy Ltd – Shared Resources
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Visualise Training and Consultancy Ltd was established in 2014 by Daniel Williams, who founded the company.
Tinnitus in the Workplace: Breaking the Silence
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It’s Tinnitus Week, and it’s time to start the conversation. Nobody should have to struggle with tinnitus alone, especially at work. Simple changes can make a huge difference, impr
2025 Healthcare Professionals’ Consensus Statement for action on health and work
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Since the last consensus statement between the Academy, the Royal College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Federation in 2019 much has changed, not least the effects of a g
Your Free Employability Toolbox! – On behalf of SDM Training Services
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Whether you’re just starting out, re-entering the workforce, or looking to grow in your career, we’re here to support you with practical, accessible resources designed to make a di
VRA 30 Year Milestone Conference Round Up
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Thank you to everyone who attended our conference last week. What an amazing day with some fantastic examples of incredible VR practices.
VRA Awards 2024
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We are very excited to be welcoming all of you to Broadway House on the 14th November and celebrating 30 years of the VRA!
Psychological Interventions for Work Outcomes in Chronic Pain
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Chronic pain is one of the leading causes of disability, with over one-third of sufferers unable to work or facing the risk of work loss.
2024 Awards Nominations
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It’s that time of year again where we at the VRA celebrate the world of VR and everything you do to contribute to the constantly evolving industry.
WORK WITH PAIN Research Project
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You are invited to take part in a research project which is being led by Dr Joanna McParland at Glasgow Caledonian University and funded by the National Institute for health.
A Great Loss to the VRA
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This has been a month of sad losses for the VR profession and for the VRA in particular.
Disability Employment Charter
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In short, it shows employing disabled people in larger numbers has zero negative performance effects in large firms, and in SMEs is associated with several better performance.
None Of Our Business? How Places of Work Can Help to Improve the Health of the Nation
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None Of Our Business? – How Places of Work Can Help to Improve the Health of the Nation
My journey into the world of Vocational Rehabilitation – by Amanda Mason
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Am I a Vocational Rehabilitation Practitioner? My title at Vitality360 is Career and Employment Consultant and I consider myself primarily a Career Guidance Professional.
And the Winners Are…
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Congratulations to all of our Finalists to the VRA Awards Ceremony yesterday. It was fantastic listening to all that you have achieved in 2023 and the progress that has been made i
VRA Awards 2023 – Finalists Announced
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Finalists have now been announced…
Raising awareness to prevent disability discrimination
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The Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA) is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) among our members, trustees, employees.
Employment Inclusivity – The VR contribution to inclusivity in the workplace
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On Thursday 19th October we held an online multidisciplinary conference which aimed to support and equip practitioners for the changing world of work and explore how equality, dive
Comparing the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech & Language Therapists (SaLTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs)
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Title of study: Comparing the requirements for ongoing professional certification with registered bodies for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Speech & Language Therapists
Menopause Friendly Company Checklist
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There are more people experiencing menopause at work than ever before.
Better together
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There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly (Buckminster-Fuller, 2014)
Creating a rethink in the design and delivery of workplace health and wellbeing strategy
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Abstract - This paper presents a provocation that challenges the status quo and asks how we could best reframe the picture of workplace health and wellbeing needs.
Eye Work With You Too
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The objective of this project was to broaden understanding of the experiences of individuals with vision impairment in accessing the labour market in Northern Ireland.
Living standards for working-age people with disabilities
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The cost of living crisis has shone a harsh light on different groups’ ability to deal with fast- rising prices.
Talking Toolkit
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This publication from HSE is designed to help employers to support disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions to get into and stay in work.
Standards Audit Tool
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The VR Standards (2019) requires members.
Aging and Work
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The Centre for Aging Better has published its state of aging report. Some key points in relation to work are.
Health and Wellbeing Survey
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Wellbeing and mental health are beginning to slip down the business agenda, a new report from the CIPD and Simplyhealth.
Menopause and the workplace
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The Women and Equalities Committee of the House of Commons have published the results of the menopause and the workplace survey.
Rehabilitation Anywhere online resource for those living with ABI
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Rehabilitation Anywhere is a new online programme from Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, providing remote education along with strategies, tips and activities.
Stress Talking Toolkits
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These HSE toolkits were designed to help managers talk with workers as part of their overall approach to preventing and managing work-related stress.
Completing the fit note effectively
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Dr Lara Shemtob updates on the focus on the fit note with additional policy context. She talks about new changes allowing Allied Health Professionals to use fit notes.
Exploring the Reality of Inclusive Return-To-Work
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The ongoing pandemic has reshaped how we live, how we interact, and how we work in ways we couldn’t imagine only 2 years ago.
Cancer and employment survey
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The Institute for Employment Studies has published research on working with cancer.
Self-harm
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All professionals working across the health and social care system have a role to play in supporting people who self-harm.
BSRM Guidance on Vocational Rehabilitation
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The British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine (BSRM) have produced brief guidance on Vocational Rehabilitation. Past Chair of the VRA Dr Andrew Frank and Trustee Joy Reymond both
Supporting staff with long covid
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CIPD warns long COVID remains a pressing concern for employers as it publishes new insights on how organisations can support staff affected.
Disabled Workers’ access to flexible working as a reasonable adjustment
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There is a significant demand among disabled workers for flexible working.
Atypical Working
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‘Atypical’ or ‘non-standard’ work usually describes any work that is not full-time, open-ended employment with regular hours.
Flexible Working for Older Workers
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New research has been conducted evaluating a programme to explore how over 50s can access the benefits of flexible working.
Working Minds Toolkit
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Starting the conversation is an important first step towards preventing work-related stress and developing the actions and stress risk assessment employers need to comply.
Longer-Term Employment Outcomes For Ex-Service Personnel
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New research has found that UK veterans face challenges finding longer-term civilian careers that enable them to reach their full potential.
The employment of disabled people 2021
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Since 2013 (the earliest comparable year using the current definition of disability) up to the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Good Recruitment for Older Workers: A guide for employers
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36% of 50-70 year olds feel at a disadvantage applying for jobs due to their age. This recruitment guide from the Centre for Ageing Better sets out five key actions.
Covid19 return-to-workplace plan for employees living with obesity
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The toolkit highlights the legal responsibilities that employers have for providing a safe workplace, as well as detailing a six-step practical plan.
WHO: self – management after COVID–19 related illness
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) have updated their leaflet on self – management after COVID–19 related illness,
Pain management guides in a wide range of languages
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Pain Management, West of Scotland Chronic Pain Education Group, have self–management guides which may prove useful for individuals whose first language is not English.
Safe rehabilitation approaches for people living with long covid: physical activity and exercise
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Safe and effective rehabilitation is a fundamental part of recovery from illness and can improve function in people living with disability.
A study of work and health transitions
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To provide contextual evidence for the Government’s strategy for improving employment among disabled people or people with health conditions.
The Pain at Work Toolkit
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The PAW toolkit (Pain at Work) is an online digital toolkit designed to provide supportive information, advice and guidance for people at work who have chronic or persistent pain.
The Impact of Covid-19 on returning to work
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Following on from the presentation at Emerging Insights into VR about this research we are pleased to be able to share more details.
Working safely during the COVID-19 pandemic as community restrictions ease
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Council for Work and Health guidance for employers as of 8 July 2021
Promoting Equality in Employment for Women Affected by Menopause
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The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Equality Commision for Northern Ireland and the Labour Relations Agency.
Working well? How the pandemic changed work for people with health conditions
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Research by the Centre for Ageing Better and the Institute for Employment Studies has highlighted the challenges faced by employees with long-term health conditions.
Lifestyle and Work-Related Factors Associated with Work Ability and Work Participation for People with Obesity
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This was a Norwegian study that aimed to investigate which changes in the explanatory factors that were associated with positive change in the work.
Managing a return to work after long term absence
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CIPD and BUPA have produced new guides to managing a return to work following long-term sickness absence
Long Covid in the workplace
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More than 3,500 workers responded to a TUC survey on the impact of long Covid on people’s daily working lives.
COVID-19: returning to the workplace
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As businesses work towards further reopening, mindful of advice and restrictions that continue to change, employers must plan and implement any return to the workplace.
Employment support for Black people with long-term health conditions
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A report commissioned for Black Thrive Lambeth’s Employment Project into employment support for Black people with long-term health conditions (LTCs) has been published.
Disabled workers’ experiences during the pandemic
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The TUC has carried out new research into the experiences of disabled people around work and workplace support during the pandemic.
Working: a healthy hybrid era?
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With offices beginning to reopen around the UK, many workers are questioning whether they want to go back or continue homeworking. Hybrid work may be the solution that combines the
Nearly half of early retirees forced out of work by poor health or redundancy
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Nearly half of early retirees forced out of work by poor health or redundancy, Just Group research reveals with 33% who stopped work due to ill health.
Workaholism Components in Relation to Life and Work Values
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Two studies were conducted to examine the association of two workaholism components (drive to work and work enjoyment) with life and work values.
Reasonable Accommodation for persons with disabilities: Exploring challenges concerning its practical implementation
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The Discussion Paper ‘Reasonable Accommodation for persons with disabilities.
CIPD/Simplyhealth Health and Wellbeing at Work survey report
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Despite the sharp increase in homeworking and perceived flexibility benefits as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Workplace conflict costs UK employers just over £1,000 for every employee
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Acas, has published analysis which estimates that workplace conflict costs UK employers £28.5 billion every year, an average of just over £1,000 for every employee.
Reflections of a rehabilitation professional: Research 5 – answering a complex question – assessing RTW
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When is an easy question a difficult one? The answer is when you want to evaluate a VR programme.
Unemployment and mental health
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New analysis by the Health Foundation estimates that an increase of 900,000 people in unemployment expected by the end of the year, compared to before the pandemic, will lead to 20
Supporting employees with fibromyalgia
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Some useful resources around work and fibromyalgia include.
Guide to effective case studies
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What Works Wellbeing has developed a guide will help you bring together what you have learned about a project or activity in a structured.
Early Warning Signs of a Mental Health Tsunami
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The immediate impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on morbidity and mortality has raised the need for accurate and real-time data monitoring and communication.
Encountering Pain
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Encountering Pain shares leading research into the potential value of visual images and non-verbal forms of communication as means of improving clinician–patient interaction.
WHO Rehabilitation Competency Framework
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In many countries, the rehabilitation workforce is underequipped to meet population needs due to large scale shortages across professions and specializations.
What matters for our sense of purpose?
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Instead of focussing on how satisfied we are with our life — as the majority of research does — this analysis looks at how worthwhile people felt the things they do in life are.
Interventions to improve return to work in depressed people
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The objective of this Cochrane review was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing work disability in employees with depressive disorders.
Managing Mental Health in Small and Micro Businesses
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In recent decades, the social and economic impact of mental health problems among working age people has risen up the agenda across the western economies.
How employers and recruiters are overlooking the talents of over 50s workers
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This is the first report in a series from Ageing Better’s Good Recruitment for Older Workers (GROW) project.
Sick pay that works
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What level of sick pay a worker receives depends on their contract.
The State of Ageing in 2020
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The State of Ageing in 2020 is an online report from the Centre for Aging Better, capturing a snapshot of ageing today and considering our future prospects.
Closing the Mental Health Income Gap
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A new report from the Mental Health and Income Commission shows there is a significant ‘mental health income gap.
Reflections of a rehabilitation professional: research – some introductory thoughts
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I have been very fortunate in my career to work with the Medical Research Council at Northwick Park Hospital.
VRA Standards Audit Tool
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An electronic copy of the VRA Standards Audit Tool is available to download free.
VRA Informed Consent Guide
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An electronic copy of the VRA Informed Consent Document is available to download free.
VRA Standards of Practice
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The VRA Standards of Practice and Code of Conduct for VR Practitioners updated in January 2019.
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Up to date resources for your business
Explore the most recent tips and information aids for you or your organisation from individual guides to dealing with staff.
Information & guides for Individuals
Informative documents/guides to help you support, advice, gain or maintain employment.
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