Ceolta-Smith, J., Salway, S.M. orcid.org/0000-0002-7688-5496 and Tod, A.M. (2018) Experiences from the frontline: an exploration of Personal Advisers’ practice with claimants who have health-related needs within UK welfare-to-work provision. Health and Social Care in the Community, 26 (4). e598-e608. ISSN 0966-0410
Abstract
Recent UK welfare reforms have been less successful than expected by the Government in supporting unemployed people with long‐term illness into work. Frontline workers remain a core element of the new welfare‐to‐work machinery, but operate within a changed organisational and policy landscape. These changes raise important questions regarding whether and how claimants’ health‐related barriers to work are considered. This paper examines the UK welfare‐to‐work frontline worker's role with claimants who have long‐term illness. Fieldwork observations in three not‐for‐profit employment support services and semi‐structured interviews with 29 participants (claimants, frontline workers, healthcare professionals and managers) were conducted between 2011 and 2012. Participant observation of the wider welfare‐to‐work arena was initiated in 2009 and continued until 2013. A qualitative methodology drawing on ethnographic principles was adopted. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out. The findings show that the frontline worker plays a key role in assessing and addressing claimants’ health‐related barriers to work. Two important health‐related role dimensions were identified: a health promoter role which involved giving health promotional advice to claimants about their general health; and a health monitor role which involved observing and questioning claimants about their general health. Frontline workers’ practice approaches were shaped by organisational and individual factors. Integration between the National Health Service and employment support services was limited, and the findings suggested improvements were required to ensure an adequate response to claimants’ health‐related needs to support their journey into work.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Health and Social Care. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number National Institute For Health Research N/A |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 30 Apr 2018 09:44 |
Last Modified: | 18 Nov 2020 08:20 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/hsc.12579 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:130034 |