Case Study 1 - Aviva

Group Income Protection:
Intervention and rehabilitation case studies
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Clinical Interventions:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
and Physiotherapy
Case study 1
A 51 year old man was absent from work.
He’d been showing symptoms of anxiety
and depression due to a family bereavement
and the breakdown of his marriage, a few
years previously. His GP had advised that the
NHS in his area had a lengthy waiting list for
counselling and he had no personal private
health insurance.
Although the company’s policy had a 52
week deferred period, they told us about his
absence after six weeks. We agreed to fund
a course of CBT, once his GP had provided
approval, with the specific goal of helping
him return to work. We scheduled his first
appointment in just two weeks. Following
therapy, the man returned to work on a
phased basis and, thanks to our help, he was
back in full time employment well within the
52 week deferred period.
Case study 2
A company advised us that a 41 year old
woman was struggling at work due to
some personal issues and changes in the
work place. When they told us about the
situation, she was still actively at work.
After a telephone assessment, and with
her GP’s approval, we agreed to fund
eight sessions of CBT. We made sure the
therapist was located close to her work,
for minimal disruption, and she stayed in
full time employment all the way through
her treatment.
Case study 3
An HR Consultant was involved in a road
traffic accident. She’d been absent for two
weeks when her company phoned to let us
know about her injuries.
After an initial telephone call, we arranged
for a referral to our award winning
‘Back-Up’ service.
The employee was assessed and referred for
treatment within 24 hours and, after a course
of physiotherapy, she returned to work on a
full-time basis within four weeks of
the accident.
These case studies are real life examples but for confidentiality reasons some aspects are fictional
2 Group Income Protection Case Studies

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Telephone advice
and support
Telephone support
An employer called us about a 26 year
old woman who was still at work but had
performance issues. The company was
concerned that she was self-harming and
had an issue with alcohol abuse, and wanted
our advice. One of our trained counsellors
spoke to the woman to find out more about
her situation and what was causing these
problems. Following that conversation we
made an appointment for her to see her GP
to discuss the situation in confidence, and
seek the appropriate help.
The benefits were clear. She felt able to talk
to us independently, as we weren’t involved
either from a work or emotional perspective.
This helped her open up, which meant we
could constructively encourage her to seek
help. We stayed in regular contact with the
employer and the woman stayed in full-time
employment as she started a programme
of recovery.
Referral
A 28 year old man was unable to work
because of problems with his eyesight. An
initial phone call established that a larger PC
monitor would be a great help, but that a
full desk assessment in the workplace was
also necessary.
A government run scheme, ‘Access to Work’,
can help if health or disability affects the
way an individual works. We referred the
company to one of the scheme’s contact
centres for their specialist advice. Access to
Work completed the desk assessment within
two weeks and provided recommendations
that helped him successfully return to
full-time work.
The early notification and advice helped
prevent a spell of long term absence and a
potential claim, as the man returned to his
work within the deferred period.
These case studies are real life examples but for confidentiality reasons some aspects are fictional
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Funded ergonomic
assessment
Back to work
A female employee had been absent with
‘non-specific low back pain’ for four weeks
when her employer called us for assistance.
They knew that we wouldn’t complete claim
forms at this stage, but were also aware that
our rehabilitation department could offer
advice and potentially help her return to
work faster.
The employee’s work was sedentary in
nature, seated at a desk. She told our
rehabilitation case manager that she
was finding it hard to sit comfortably for
lengthy periods of time, and couldn’t
see a way around the problem. The case
manager proposed a conference call with
the employee and the employer – who
were both happy to discuss the reasons for
absence and how to overcome any barriers.
By understanding her condition in more
detail, we were able to arrange and pay for
an ergonomic assessment of her workstation.
Using the assessment report, and with the
support of her GP, we prepared a graded
return to work plan with the woman’s
employer. She’s now back at work, full time.
This case study is a real life example but for confidentiality reasons some aspects are fictional
6 Group Income Protection Case Studies

Look good, feel better
A very personal service
A 51 year old woman had taken a leave of
absence from work due to breast cancer. We
were notified after she had been absent for six
weeks. When our rehabilitation case manager
spoke to her she had already undergone
surgery and was due to start chemotherapy
and radiotherapy. Unfortunately there were
no other interventions we could offer, but we
did refer her straight away to a local ‘Look
good, feel better’ service. Their advisers,
all with experience in the after effects of
invasive therapies, offer make up and hairstyle
techniques to women being treated for cancer.
As she had suffered from hair loss after her
first chemotherapy treatments, the woman
was shown how to redefine her ‘eyebrows’
at her first appointment. It was a small thing,
but it meant a lot. Although the NHS have
since offered the service, the woman said that
our first referral meant she felt better about
herself and her appearance throughout the
remaining chemotherapy sessions.
This seemingly insignificant piece of advice
helped her not only in her long term recovery,
but also in her eventual return to work.
This case study is a real life example but for confidentiality reasons some aspects are fictional
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Aviva Health UK Limited. Registered in England Number 2464270.
Registered Office 8 Surrey Street Norwich NR1 3NG. This insurance is underwritten by
Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited. Registered in England Number 3253947,
Registered Office 2 Rougier Street York Y090 1UU. Authorised and regulated by the
Financial Services Authority. Aviva Health UK Limited, Head Office:
Chilworth House Hampshire Corporate Park Templars Way Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 3RY.
www.aviva.co.uk/health
8 Group Income Protection Case Studies
GEN4119 04/2011 © Aviva plc