Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40473480›Full record

ArticleBJGP open2025

Stakeholder perceptions of supporting patients' return to work in primary care: a qualitative study.

Rosie Harrison, Gwenllian Wynne Jones, Vaughan Parsons, Ira Madan, Carolyn A Chew-Graham, John Pemberton, Gemma Mansell, Karen Walker-Bone, Nadine E Foster, Benjamin Saunders and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BJGP open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Rosie HarrisonSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK r.harrison1@keele.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2292-5947
Gwenllian Wynne JonesSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0283-6632
Vaughan ParsonsFaculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
Ira MadanOccupational Health Service, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Carolyn A Chew-GrahamSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.
John PembertonSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.
Gemma MansellAston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Karen Walker-BoneMonash Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, Monash University, Monash, Australia.
Nadine E FosterUQ Clinical Trials Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Benjamin SaundersSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0856-1596
wider WAVE trial team

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAround 2.5 million people in the UK are absent from work due to ill health, yet, for many, accessing work-orientated vocational support (VS) to facilitate return to work (RTW) is challenging. The majority of fit notes are issued in primary care, making this an ideal setting to provide VS.

aimAs part of the Work And Vocational advicE (WAVE) randomised controlled trial (RCT), we explored the delivery of VS by trained vocational support workers (VSWs), from the perspectives of patients, VSWs, employers, and GPs. DESIGN &

settingIn the WAVE RCT, patients from 10 UK general practices were randomised to the offer of usual care or usual care plus VS. This qualitative study explored stakeholder perspectives of the VS intervention.

methodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with participants in the intervention arm (

resultsTaking a person-centred, individualised approach to VS enabled VSWs to identify and mitigate RTW obstacles and support participants' self-efficacy to proactively negotiate RTW. The perceived independence of the VSWs from employers and health care was considered important and facilitated more open discussions about capabilities and RTW planning.

conclusionFindings indicated that individualised and independent VS offered to patients referred from primary care was perceived by all stakeholders to be valuable to patients absent from work due to illness and supported their RTW planning. These insights can inform future models of VS.

Indexed as

occupational healthpatient perspectivesprimary health careQualitative researchreturn to work

Identifiers

PMID40473480
PMCPMC12820483

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.