Following a serious injury, it can be difficult to accept what's happened and understand what the future might hold. As health and social care specialists, our client liaison managers (CLMs) understand how medical care and rehabilitation can make a real difference to someone who’s suffered a serious injury.
Often when people contact us, they aren’t sure where to turn – lost in a maze of services they’re unfamiliar with and desperate for support for themselves or a loved one.
While our legal experts concentrate on getting our clients the justice they deserve, our CLMs role is to focus solely on the type of care and rehabilitation you need, and to be there for you every step of the way.
A quick chat with our CLMs
Two of our CLMs, Michaela Morris and Susan Seddon, took the time out of their busy schedules to chat to us. They share thoughts on their vital work and the importance of rehabilitation after a serious injury.
How would you describe your role?
Susan: It’s an extremely varied and interesting one, which is challenging and demanding at times, but ultimately very rewarding. I feel like I’m in a privileged position, supporting people who are extremely vulnerable while also being an advocate and a voice for my clients and their families.
Michaela: I support individuals and their families who live with the impact of serious injury. As an occupational therapist by background, I help people to deal with a huge amount of change – both mental and physical.
Can you explain why early rehabilitation is so important?
Michaela: Early rehabilitation, as advised by the medical and therapy team, is essential for better long term outcomes, for improving strength and function and to maximise potential post injury. Having a rehabilitation programme is also important for your mental health, wellbeing, and your quality of life. As part of rehabilitation, identifying your goals at each stage can help put you in control, and a puts a focus on what’s most important to you and your family. Early rehabilitation can enable your long term independence and hopefully reduce your dependence on others.
If someone didn’t have access to the rehabilitation they needed in their local area, or their doctor told them it wasn’t available, what advice would you give?
Susan: It can be really frustrating knowing what you need and what your team has recommended for you, but then having difficulties accessing local services once you’re home. If there aren’t appropriate services in your area, you can request to access services further afield or, if you meet the criteria, to apply for local funding to pay for rehabilitation suited to your specific needs. We advise that you speak with your hospital team and your GP/social care team to discuss options and ways forward; our CLMs can assist with this.
Did your role changed when the pandemic began?
Susan: A key part of our job is being out and about visiting clients in their own homes. When the face-to-face client contact stopped during the lockdown it initiated a complete change in the way we would normally work.
All client contact and support is now done mainly by telephone, which has made things slightly more challenging, but we communicate with our clients however they feel most comfortable. With video calls, we can make sure an element of the human touch that our role offers is still present. It’s difficult not to be able to arrange a visit to see a client, especially for those who are clearly struggling.
It’s harder in some ways to build relationships with new clients who we haven’t met and have only spoken to over the phone, as much of our role is built on trust and the relationships we build over time, but the main thing is that they know we’re there to support them.
Michaela: As Susan has said, the main change has been not being able to visit people in their homes or in hospitals and adapting to home working. All that really matters is that we’re able to offer support when people are isolated and living with new pressures and difficulties as a result of the pandemic.
What makes your job so rewarding?
Susan: We can make a difference to our clients and their families at a very difficult time in their lives. We have time to focus on them and provide continuity, which is difficult for professionals in health and social care to do with the restraints that they work under.
Michaela: What I find most rewarding about my job is the variety and daily challenges that come with supporting such a range of adults and children and being able to focus on their needs so they can focus on brighter days ahead. It’s lovely to see what a difference the support we offer can make.
Thanks to Susan and Michaela for sharing an insight into the role of our client liaison managers. You can find out more about the CLM team here.
For general enquiries
0808 291 3524
Or we can call you back at a time of your choice
Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year
