References
Department of Work and Pensions (September 2024). UC Health Caseload, Stat Xplore. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from Stat-Xplore - Log in
Office for National Statistics (2021). Labour Market Profile – Somerset. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from Labour Market Profile – Nomis – Official Census and Labour Market Statistics.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Breaking Barriers Topic Guide
Breaking Barriers: a study on long-term health conditions and work.
Participant Conversation Guide (group discussion/interviews)
This guide has broad topics – please feel free to amend the order or phrasing so it best suits the preferences of your community participants
Introduction
This project will enable our team to learn from people with long-term health conditions and disabilities about their experiences of work, about any concerns, and about what does and doesn’t help them to find, stay in, or return to work. The findings will help us to develop recommendations for organisations to better support people in these situations with work
If it is a group discussion – please ask each person to say their name (or assigned number) for the transcriber
Example question: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
- Basic demographic information such as location, age, gender, ethnicity, health condition or disability, etc.
- Please note: People do not have to disclose a particular diagnosis/illness – they could say something more general like a physical or mental health condition
- If applicable: Can you tell me about your last job/work or the last time you tried to get a job or paid work?
- When was it; where was it; what did you do; reason(s) you had to stop
Section 1: Good employment
Example question: How would you describe a “good” employment or working environment?
- What is “good” employment?
- What does it offer? (e.g. good working relationships, a supportive manager, flexible working, using your skills, fair salary for role, autonomy, etc.)
Section 2: Barriers to employment
Example question: Thinking about your experiences of jobs and paid work:
- What worked well or supported you in previous jobs?
- What was a challenge or barrier in previous jobs?
(e.g. local place of work, understanding employer, modified or adapted role, recruitment processes)
Example question: Thinking about your current situation, what are the main barriers, challenges or difficulties with work?
- Environmental, physical, other responsibilities, transport, and caring
- Finding suitable opportunities for their condition; maintaining or keeping a job
- Receiving appropriate support from the employer
Section 3: Supporting employment
Example question: Thinking about the past, what kind of training or support, if any, have you received to help you get into work?
- If so: what were they and who were they delivered by?
- If not: are there any specific reasons why you haven’t engaged with any support programmes?
Example question: Thinking about the support you just described, what was good about it? What could have been better?
Example question: Thinking about other people in Somerset who are living with a long-term health condition or disability – What support do you feel would be useful to help them find and get into paid employment?
- Areas of focus, resources, facilities
Example question: Do you have any future work plans, hopes, or goals that we could discuss?
If so:
- What are the interests, skills and abilities you possess that you would like to use?
- What kind of work, hours, remote, hybrid?
- Do you have any concerns about any of your future work plans, hopes, and goals? If so, what would help you to reduce your concerns?
Example question: If you were to begin looking for work, what would support your confidence in finding, staying in, or returning to work?
Closing
- Did I miss anything?
- Are there any other last thoughts, comments, or feedback you would like to share?
- Thank you for sharing your experiences and ideas with us.
