Case Managers make successful Care Experts

I was sat in on a talk from Rebecca Hey, Brain Injury Case Manager, at the recent CMSUK annual conference in Leeds. She used a great analogy to represent the journey an injured individual goes on with their case manager. She discussed an approach to promote independence with the client at the very centre, stripping back the original structure of their support plan and coordinating something new and better suited to engaging the client. She discussed how she pulled together an MDT to specifically focus on the client’s own decisions and how behavioural therapy was an integral part of that MDT (Thanks to Bev for sharing this approach with great humour and personality). This approach heralded some great outcomes for the client and it was inspiring to hear about.

On reflection, I felt that Rebecca had shown exactly why case managers who deal with these life-changing injuries every day, and advocate for their clients so closely, are best placed to complete the Expert Witness reports we produce at Jacqueline Webb. Expertise comes from hands-on experience and this is only generated through trying new techniques and developing client-focused care and support plans, such as the ones Rebecca uses. I also felt it highlighted the similarities in clinical justification that Case Managers and Experts have to produce in order to achieve the desired outcome for their client. The roles really are quite similar and they balance together really well because of this. 

So my message here is not that case management is a prerequisite level of experience for becoming a Care Expert, but it certainly puts you at a significant advantage when considering varying levels of support and the ongoing MDT that might be required to support someone who has suffered a life-changing injury. As with the client-centred approach Rebecca discussed, it’s about the things you have added to your ‘toolkit’ across your years of experience that define your expertise. Thanks Rebecca for an enlightening talk and I hope this forms a motivator for you as a Case Manager to get in touch. If you are a practising case manager now, consider Expert work closely. If you would like to learn more, Chris and I would be only too delighted to fill in the gaps in your knowledge.

The statement has never been truer that case managers most frequently make the most robust and talented Care Experts! 

Keep an eye out our upcoming video series focusing on this exact topic, due to be launched in January 2020.

Simon Dickinson, Recruitment Manager, Jacqueline Webb & Co

www.jwebb.co.uk/recruitment

[email protected]

01722 342 516