Quality standard
Quality statement 4: Support to work referral
Quality statement 4: Support to work referral
Quality statement
Adults with cerebral palsy who want support to work are referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Rationale
Working can help people become more independent, socially active and integrated into the community. However, adults with cerebral palsy can face physical and organisational barriers to work, such as access to buildings and policies and situations that put them at a disadvantage. Specialist support for people who want to start work can include advice on and access to job seeking, training, work placements, voluntary work and vocational rehabilitation. For those already working, specialist support can include access to workplace and equipment assessment, workplace and job retention training, and support for a planned exit from the workforce should it become too difficult to continue working.
Quality measures
Structure
Evidence of local networks of care providing occupational therapy and vocational rehabilitation services to adults with cerebral palsy.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, from service specifications.
Process
a) Proportion of adults with cerebral palsy who want support to start work referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Numerator – the number in the denominator referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Denominator – the number of adults with cerebral palsy who want support to start work.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, local audit of patient records.
b) Proportion of adults with cerebral palsy who want support to continue working referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Numerator – the number in the denominator referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Denominator – the number of adults with cerebral palsy who want support to continue working.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, local audit of patient records.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (such as occupational therapy services, vocational rehabilitation services and social services) ensure that referral pathways are in place so that adults with cerebral palsy can be referred to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Health and social care professionals (such as GPs, rehabilitation consultants, neurology consultants, allied health professionals and social workers) ask adults with cerebral palsy whether they work or would like to work, what they enjoy doing, if they find it difficult to participate in activities and what their work-related goals are. They give information and advice about education, securing work and employment support. They refer those who would like support to start work, or with existing work, to a professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living.
Commissioners (such as clinical commissioning groups) commission occupational therapy and vocational rehabilitation services for adults with cerebral palsy who want support to start or continue to work and ensure that referral pathways are in place.
Adults with cerebral palsy who want support to start or continue to work are referred to a specialist (such as an occupational therapist) to discuss what their work-related goals are and receive support to reach these goals. This may include support with finding a job or staying in their current job.
Source guidance
Cerebral palsy in adults. NICE guideline NG119 (2019), recommendation 1.2.12
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Adults
For this quality standard, adults are defined as people aged 25 and over, in line with the source guidance. The NICE quality standard for cerebral palsy in children and young people covers people under 25. [NICE's guideline on cerebral palsy in adults]
Professional with expertise in vocational skills and independent living
A professional, often an occupational therapist, who can assess the vocational and independent living skills of adults with cerebral palsy and discuss their goals. They identify activities that people have difficulty with, potential barriers to achieving goals, and interventions to address these. This can include access to job seeking, work preparation, training, work placements, voluntary work and vocational rehabilitation. For those already working, this can include workplace and equipment assessment, workplace and job retention training, and support for a planned exit from the workforce should it become too difficult to continue working. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on cerebral palsy in adults and expert opinion]