international offices

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

ICAS is the only organisation in the UK that specialises in Vocational Rehabilitation services provided directly to employers for:

  • mental health and behavioural issues
  • significant psychological component to sickness absence.

To date ICAS has resolved 100% of all absence cases with 95% of cases resulting in people returning to work.*

ICAS provides assertive, targeted programmes to resolve the uncertainty of absence. Our interventions use the best from traditional models but have an entirely fresh approach to absence rehabilitation. Using a unique blend of expertise, experience and services, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) comprises:

  • Functional capacity evaluation
  • Condition management
  • Removal of barriers to return to work
  • Safe and sustainable outcomes resolving absence
  • We work with managers, OH and HR to assess and address psychological factors causing sickness absence. VR restores capacity for work, whether the loss of function is physical, psychological or a combination of both. Early and strategic intervention through VR reduces the human and financial costs of absence

You can contact Vocational Rehabilitation services directly on 0800 0720174 or by using the link to the form below.


*The remainder resulting in medical retirement, resignation or dismissal, based on an independent, professional and transparent process.

Challenging the Medical Model

The traditional medical model has not proved effective in resolving complex issues associated with sickness absence. We work with occupational health and human resources to provide an assertive, targeted approach to resolve the uncertainty of absence for all concerned. We focus on ability, not disability, working with the treating practitioner to design a safe and sustainable return to work. We ‘unpack’ the diagnosis given on the medical certificate to find out what this means in terms of the employee's work ability. We manage the impact on work of depression, stress, anxiety or other complex mental health or behavioural issues by understanding the employee, the factors preventing a return to work and provision of targeted and appropriate support.

Supporting OH, HR and Line Managers

In addition, we are able to provide support and guidance to line managers, human resource and occupational health professionals who are presented with condition-related performance issues and recurring patterns of intermittent absence. Most managers who suspect that mental health, psychological or behavioural problems are impacting on a member of staff are unclear as to how the employee should be managed. Most avoid the situation for as long as practicable, not wishing to exacerbate the situation.

By using the Return to Work/Absence Resolution Service the employer derives a number of benefits, which include:

  • Saving time and money by proactively getting the person back to work.
  • Practical demonstration of their commitment to Duty of Care.
  • Potential for reduced Employers Liability, Income Protection and Private Medical Insurance premiums.
  • The provision of occupational rehabilitation expertise and practical support to occupational health, human resources and line managers in managing potentially complex behavioural and mental health issues or physical health issues with a psychological component.

How the Return to Work Services operates in practice


Overview

The Return to Work/Absence Resolution service is a co-ordinated intensive strategy that provides a comprehensive assessment of the psychological and physical barriers to work that are preventing an individual from returning to work or performing effectively within their role.

We engage with all the key stakeholders which can include the General Practitioner, the employee, the HR, OH professionals and the line manager. We design workplace outcome driven interventions that get the person back to work in a safe and sustainable manner.

Services

The Return to Work/Absence Resolution service comprises a range of different interventions designed to minimise absence and maximise productivity. These include:

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Assessment
  • Rehabilitation Counselling
  • Consultancy support for managers, HR and OH
  • Liaison with GPs
  • Rehabilitation programme development
  • Rehabilitation programme implementation
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Workplace-based rehabilitation co-ordination
  • Progress reports
  • Rehabilitation for role outside of existing employer
  • File reviews to identify employees likely to gain from rehabilitation
  • Assessments for fitness to undertake vocational rehabilitation
  • Case closure summaries

These services can be provided on an ad hoc basis or as part of an overall programme.

What our clients say...

"Everything we have asked for has been delivered. It is reassuring to know if we don't have an answer to an employee problem we know someone who does, ICAS."
Timpson Limited