WCMT-Melissa-Kelly

able to provide formal examinations and reported that this goes a very long way to remove the
fear, if higher learning or complete retraining is required.
Of absolute importance, was connecting everyone involved both in the multi-disciplinary group,
inter-vocational support and external in supporting the person to either return to school, return to
work or to return to an entirely new environment. Job coaching begins early, as does employer
engagement. The teachers expressed the need to look at the practical versus theory post-injury,
commenting that the higher level of injury tetraplegia group provided a greater challenge, as
often more time was required.
Vocational Consulting
Patient X
“In the first moment you came to my bed I could have murdered you because I was thinking
about relationships, life, toilets and my injury. But when I left the hospital I understood why you
came so early; it was necessary and I thank you forever. Initially I couldn’t deal with work issues
if they arose, it would be too much.”
The return to work rate for the Swiss population is 55-60% (in 2012 it was reported at 58%). The
following statements from the vocational consultants attribute to the success of the patients
outcomes and strongly echo our experience at Kaleidoscope:
o We make communication with the employer very early on.
o The patients are consulted about the vocational team contacting their employers.
o Having a vocational consultant early and prioritised, the patients report “It is one problem
less, no need to worry about work.”
o An appointment is made with the employer, initially to visit the hospital and then the
consultants visit the workplace and conduct a worksite assessment, if geographically
possible.
o An objective is to remove the fear of workplace modification costs from the employer.
o A message delivered to the patients is, “we will try and find a solution together; it may be
different now, but there is a future.”
o We link patients with peers in the community working in the same job, if the patient
wishes for this to occur.
WCMT Research Fellowship 19