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Nick Edwards named as Case Manager of the Year at Rehabilitation First Awards 2006
About Rehabilitation First Awards:
http://www.rehabilitationfirstawards.co.uk/
Now in its second year the event has been expanded to reflect increased interest and activity in the UK's rehabilitation sector and to reward excellence across the market – from employers to insurers to practitioners and new entrants.
Category - "Case Manager of the Year":
Open to all case managers involved in rehabilitation. Entries highlight results against targets, illustrate new ways of working and examples of a client or individual's feedback at the end of the process. Judges look for commitment, innovation and excellent results.
The Event: Kensington Roof Gardens, London – 14th July 2006
Nick Edwards works tirelessly and successfully in the field of disability with a caseload of approximately 70 to 80 Income Protection and Personal Injury Claimants at any one time. Over the last 5 years he has worked with over 500 clients including Income Protection and Personal Injury Claimants. The client list is long and impressive. Nick Edwards commitment to rehabilitation is never ceasing. A target of 50 clients was set by the Chief Executive of Disability Matters and Nick Edwards has exceeded this by 40%
Nick Edwards is presently studying for an MSc degree in Vocational Rehabilitation. His knowledge and his efforts in this field are unique. He constantly travels to see all his clients covering the whole of the UK including Wales and Scotland and Europe.
Nick Edwards has been an inspirational, experienced and invaluable member of the team who developed an innovative computer software package called "AbilityMatch". AbilityMatch is a computerised tool designed to assist people with disabilities to enter the labour market by highlighting where adaptations may be required to accommodate a person with a disability. This software is widely and successfully used by Nick Edwards in enhancing a disabled person's journey back to a working environment. The informed use and application of this tool is of enormous value and leads to positive results.
By putting the clients at the centre of his activity he endeavours to enhance their quality of life and he works with a range of people with varying disabilities thus creating an environment conducive to rehabilitation. His innovative approach of marrying up the client to appropriate service providers in the field of rehabilitation in the relevant location has provided a unique tool to rehabilitate clients back into a working environment.
A recent actuarial analysis from one particular insurance company Nick Edwards has worked with shows that for every £1 they spend on his services, he saves the insurance company £10 in the long term. (Supporting Financial Results are attached)
Prior to joining Disability Matters Ltd Nick Edwards worked with the Employment Service and he was responsible for managing disability employment in the South East of England. Nick Edwards was previously to joining Disability Matters Ltd a Civil Servant and has spent the last 15 years advising a whole range of employers in both the public and private sector on disability and employment/rehabilitation matters. Amongst other things Nick Edwards has successfully delivered the Access to Work Scheme in the South East. Nick Edwards has also run over twelve large government and European funded projects to assist over 1,500 long-term unemployed disabled people on Incapacity Benefit make progress through their return to work journey. This has been invaluable and supportive in establishing ways to rehabilitate clients. Nick Edwards has constantly strived to improve and find new ways in the field of rehabilitation, below comments show the results of his commitment and dedication to the role of Case Manager.
Nick Edwards' clients' impairments vary widely from musculo skeletal to cardiac conditions and from mental health problems to amputations i.e. pan disability and below are just a few examples and testimonials
Client 1
Highly Paid Professional - Mental Illness
17. August 2004 to 15 th October 2005 - Return Journey to work
This client retired on health grounds from his job and was gradually rehabilitated back into a new position and below are some comments by the client.
"I really appreciate all Nick Edwards and Disability Matters Ltd have done for me, the guidance and encouragement gave me a great boost. The support received has been a huge lift and I could not have embarked on a new career without Nick Edwards help"
Client 2
Injured musculo skeletal professional person, ex forces
17 th July 2003 to 29 th March 2006 - Return Journey to work
Over this period Nick Edwards worked with the client removing barriers, assisting in CV writing, searching for job opportunities including a period of self-employment. The client is now in a permanent job in his chosen field. Nick Edwards will continue to monitor the progress and assist in the client's work progress using AbilityMatch, the computer software which has been the brainchild of Nick Edwards.
"Without Nick Edwards' help I would have given up and not realised the potential of rehabilitation"
Client 3
Amputee
5 th February 2005 to 19 th April 2006 - Return Journey to work
Nick Edwards worked continuously with this client providing back up and support. Working with AbilityMatch and removing psychological barriers finally paid off and the client is now in a permanent part time position.
"I am happy to be rehabilitated and able to join the workforce again"
Client 4
Young visually impaired client.
The Return to Work Journey took just under three years and the client is now in full time permanent employment after a period of unemployment and a period of work experience abroad arranged by Nick Edwards and the client's quality of life has improved without doubt.
"Thank you Nick for all your help, absolutely invaluable".
Nick Edwards' approach to vocational rehabilitation is very much employer orientated and he is very successful in moving disabled people back into their former job with the same employer with or without adjustments or back with the former employer but into a different job with or without adjustments. Nick also encourages a return to work in the form of self-employment and to this end cooperates with numerous providers in this field.
His strength lies in the delivery of motivational programmes and in the building up self-esteem and self-efficacy in clients. Nick Edwards also shows extreme reliability and has excellent interpersonal skills, which have proved to be invaluable in dealing with his clientele. His practical job search skills and career management advice to clients are exemplary and the results speak for themselves.
Furthermore Nick Edwards has also been training trainers and Incapacity Benefit Advisers. Below are some evaluation comments of his training sessions:
"Possibly one of the best training events ever attended"
"Trainer actually works in the relevant fields - fantastic"
"Brilliantly delivered and well researched material, very informative presentation"
"Nick is an excellent trainer and has a good rapport with his audience"
"Nick made me realised that what I thought I know has been turned upside down and I now feel that I have entered the Matrix"
"The delivery of the training course was compelling and the knowledge of Nick Edwards was extremely interesting".
