Healthy Working Life - Bradford District and Craven

The Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physio service is designed to get people who work in health and social care roles and have MSK or back related issues, quick and fast access to a course of physiotherapy services.

A virtual appointment will be offered initially to discuss symptoms and provide an assessment to ensure the service can meet the individual’s needs.

The individual will then be able to access a course of physiotherapy (up to three appointments depending on progress and individual circumstances). These appointments will take place at Airedale Hospital at a time or date that is convenient.

The physiotherapy service runs Monday - Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Referral criteria

To access this service you must:

• Be working within the health and social care sector within Bradford district and Craven.
• Be experiencing MSK or back related issues that are impacting your ability to function at work.
• Not already be under the care of a GP or specialist service for your current MSK or back related issue.

Who can make referrals to this service?

• Individuals can refer themselves directly to the service.
• Line managers of individuals who meet the above criteria can also refer into this service.
• Occupational Health practitioners who work with individuals, who are experiencing long term (3 weeks or more) absence or persistent short-term absence from work due to reasons related to MSK or back related issues. Or people who are currently at work but are experiencing MSK or back issues which are impacting upon their performance.

This service will start accepting referrals in September 2025.

The Occupational Health service supports people working in health and social care, (who may be recovering from an illness or operation or suffer from a long-term condition or mental health condition) manage their health issues which may be preventing them from carrying out everyday tasks and be able to function within the workplace.

An effective occupational health programme can reduce costs associated with staff absence and sickness, offer professional and independent advice, and provide reinforcement of current procedures.

Support details

Occupational Health referrals are ideal for employees who are experiencing long-term (3 weeks or more) or persistent short-term sickness absence. Upon referring, a virtual appointment will be arranged with an Occupational Health clinician which will discuss an employee’s medical fitness to work, help identify any underlying reasons for absence and provide an anticipated return to work date as well as identifying any potential adjustments to working practices.

After the appointment, the manager will receive a report detailing the clinician’s findings and be offered a 30 minute follow up call if required to discuss next steps and how best to support the employee in the workplace.

Referral criteria

Managers can refer their employees into this service.

Health and social care employees must be:

• Working within the health and social care sector within Bradford district and Craven.
• Experiencing long-term or persistent short-term sickness absence.

• Working towards a return to work (or wishing to remain in work).

As a manager you may wish to refer employees who are experiencing long-term (3 weeks or more) or persistent short-term absence from work.

Talking therapies provides a person-centred, culturally sensitive, therapeutic service to help the individual become emotionally and psychologically well. This is done by working with the individual to explore and develop a range of coping mechanisms to overcome emotional challenges.

These can be:

• Bereavement and loss
• Current and past abuse(s)
• Depression, stress or anxiety
• Trauma
• Panic attacks
• Difficult changes and transitions
• Low confidence and self-esteem
• Self-harm
• Relationship difficulties
• Work problems
• An inability to cope and other issues leading to harm and/or distress to the individual and those around them.

The therapist will work with the individual to develop a safe working relationship of mutual respect and will listen empathically, without judgement or criticism. They will help individuals to work through their experiences and perceptions and gain a better understanding of their feelings and thought processes.

Support details

Upon contacting the service, an assessment appointment will be offered to ensure the service will meet the individual’s needs. (If this service is not right for the individual, they will be signposted to more appropriate services).

The individual will be contacted when a therapist is available and will then be able to arrange a preferred time, day and location for their sessions, with the option of meeting virtually.

Sessions normally last 50 minutes and individuals will usually receive between 6-12 free sessions, depending on their circumstances.

Referral criteria

To access this service, individuals must be:

• Working within the health and social care sector within Bradford district and Craven.
• Experiencing emotional health issues that are impacting their ability to work.

Who can make referrals to this service?

• Individuals can refer themselves directly to this service.
• Line managers of individuals who meet the above criteria can also refer into this service.
• Occupational Health practitioners who work with individuals who are experiencing long-term (3 weeks or more) absence or persistent short-term absence from work due to reasons related to emotional health. Or people (working in health and social care) who have shared that they are struggling with their emotional health.

To refer to this service, please complete the referral form found on the Cellar Trust therapies website, or you can call on 01274 733 080.

This service provides the individual with a personalised, 12-week programme comprising of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, educational workshops and physical activity. It supports those working in health and social care, who are experiencing health related challenges that affect their ability to work.

This therapy service is suitable for people experiencing:

• A health condition impacting work performance or attendance to work
• Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions (back/neck pain, limb problems)
• Mild mental health conditions (work-related stress, anxiety, low mood)
• Mild physical health conditions impacting work capacity
• Long-term health conditions requiring workplace adjustments
• Persistent pain that affects the individual’s ability to work

Referral criteria

To access this service, the individual must be:

• Employed within the Health & Social Care sector within Bradford district and Craven and working full-time, part-time, or on a zero-hours contract.
• Currently off work for less than 3 months
• Currently in work with frequent recurring periods of short-term sickness absence that relates to an underlying health condition.
• Aged 16 years and over (please note anyone aged between 16-18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, under the University of Bradford’s safeguarding policy).
• Able to attend regular, in-person appointments over the 12-week programme.
• Motivated to engage with the return-to-work process with realistic return to work goals within the programme time-frame.
• Willing to commit to regular attendance over the 12-week programme.
• Willing to participate in both the exercise and educational programme components.

The employer must also be willing to support the individual to participate regularly in attending the 12-week programme if the employee is in work.

All individuals must have sufficient English language skills to engage with the programme content.

Who can make referrals to this service?

• Individuals can refer themselves directly to this service.
• Line Manager referral (with staff consent)
• Occupational Health practitioners can also signpost suitable individuals to this service

Details of the service

The 12-week structured programme combines educational, interactive and practical components, including;

• A comprehensive assessment of physical and occupational health needs
• Personalised exercise prescription and physical rehabilitation
• Occupational therapy assessment of work demands
• Interactive workshops on pain management, stress reduction and work-life balance
• Hands-on training in ergonomics and body mechanics for workplace tasks
• Support with employer communication and workplace adjustments
• Self-management strategies for long-term health conditions
• Graduated return to work planning and implementation support
• Regular progress monitoring with validated outcome measures
• Support with employer communication and workplace adjustments

The structured programme will be based upon the following:

1. Foundation phase: weeks 1-3
   • Individual comprehensive assessment of physical and occupational health needs including occupational therapy assessment of work demands.
   • Individualised goal setting
   • Interactive educational workshops (see section 7)
   • Personalised exercise prescription and physical rehabilitation
2. Progression phase: weeks 4-10
   • Interactive educational workshops (see section 7)
   • Progression of fundamental movement and value-based activities (see section 7)
   • Development of self-management strategies for health and wellbeing
   • Hands-on training in ergonomics and body mechanics for workplace tasks
   • Individual interventions if indicated through phase 1
3. Transition phase: weeks 11-12
   • Graduated return to work planning and implementation support
   • Support with employer communication and workplace adjustments
4. Regular progress monitoring with validated outcome measures throughout the programme.

To refer to this service please email: Pathways-to-wellness@bradford.ac.uk

Or phone the University of Bradford Physiotherapy and Sports Rehabilitation clinic telephone number on 01274 236324.

The Pain and employment service is a person-centred back to work support programme designed specifically for individuals living with long-term pain from a Musculoskeletal (MSK) condition.

Support details

The service is designed to support people with MSK conditions (back/neck pain, limb problems) and /or persistent pain affecting work participation.

It will provide:

• One-to-one bespoke/ personalised health coaching
• Access to reliable and research-based education sessions and self-care workshops (i.e. diet, nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional wellbeing , time management , pacing)
• Signposting to place-based local support that meets individual needs and preferences, to support with barriers, such as finance and spoken language
• Advocacy for employees (i.e. how to discuss reasonable adjustments)
• In-person and online peer support groups – linking to relevant existing groups
• Light-touch continuance work after discharge/return to employment – employer and employee

Referral criteria

This intervention will work with individuals with musculoskeletal conditions and associated pain (and living with long-term pain) at risk of:

• taking sickness absence (<4 weeks)
• moving from short-term sickness to extended sick leave (>4 weeks)
• At risk of losing their job due to health condition/issues

The service will be available for all Bradford district and Craven residents who meet the criteria, through online and in-person delivery. The main location for this intervention is in Keighley, but in-person sessions will also be held at facilities across Bradford.

Individuals must be:

• Motivated to engage with the return-to-work process
• Able to attend regular in person appointments

Who can make referrals to this service?

Referrals can be received from:

• Individuals (self-referral)
• Local health and care services such as primary care, social prescribers, pharmacists, community based VCSE services
• Employers

Referrals should be made via: www.khl.org.uk/projects/healthyworkinglife/

Local health and care services and employees should gain the individuals consent before making a referral.

The Pathways to employment service supports people with mild, moderate and enduring mental health difficulties: with a specific focus on neurodiversity and young people. 

Support details

Workplace Employment Specialists will offer support through in-person, online or telephone sessions. Face to face appointments will be held across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven within the individual’s locality.

Support can include:​

• Completing workplace wellness action plans​
• 1-1 tailored Peer Support, which can include managing wellbeing at work and building retention skills such as communication
• Psychoeducational interventions for both employers and employees, such as Managing Stress, Low Mood, Suicide Awareness and Managing Sleep
• Access to additional courses such as Confidence for Work, Coping with Change and Building Resilience
• Meeting with employers to discuss phased returns and/or reasonable adjustments​ where relevant to the individual
• Supporting individuals to build employability skills
• Signposting to other relevant services

Tailored support will be offered to people with mental health difficulties including:

• Young people
• People with neurodivergence

• People with learning disabilities   

Referral criteria

The service will support people aged 16 to 64 years old, across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven with mental health difficulties that are affecting their ability to work. They will be employed but at risk of becoming unemployed OR currently off sick.

Common reasons for referral will include:

• Someone who is off sick from work for a week or more due to their mental health 
• Experiencing regular short periods of sickness from work 
• Work-related stress or health difficulties, causing time off from work 
• Poor work performance due to mental health difficulties 
• The need for reasonable adjustments and/or support from Access to Work 

The service does not support people in crisis. First Response, Guide-Line and the Samaritans are available for those experiencing mental health crisis. 

Who can make referrals to this service?

Referrals can be received from:

• Individuals (self-referral)
• Local health and care services such as primary care, social prescribers, pharmacists, community based VCSE services
• Employers (with consent from the employee)

Referrals should be made via: thecellartrust.org/self-referral

Local health and care services and employees should gain the individual’s consent before making a referral

This service provides dedicated employment related support via the existing Wellbeing Hub Network, providing psychosocial support in bespoke models for the communities they serve.

Support details

To use the service you must be: 

• Aged over 16 years
• Registered with GP practices in the Bradford District and Craven footprint or live within the local authority boundaries of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council.
• Employed and at risk of going off sick, or recently off sick.

EXCLUSION: Individuals who have an urgent or chronic physical/ mental health need which requires immediate input of medical professionals cannot be referred

Referral criteria

The service will primarily be a self-referral service, with direct engagement from individuals within the community. Referrals will also be accepted from:

• Health services: e.g. social prescribers, district nurses, and adult social care teams.
• Employment services: e.g. Jobcentre Plus and Department for Work and Pensions.

Community organisations: e.g. Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners, family hubs, and proactive care teams (PACT).

How to refer: 

Referrals should be made to the relevant hub:

Bradford East

Telephone: 01274 665598
Email: wellbeinghub@incic.co.uk

Bradford West

Telephone: 01274 668881
Email: info@thesuttoncentre.co.uk

Bradford South

Telephone: 01274594173
Email:  manninghamwellbeinghub@equalitytogether.org.uk