Can vocational advice be delivered in primary care? The Work And Vocational advicE (WAVE) mixed method single arm feasibility study (NCT04543097)

  1. G Wynne-Jones
  2. G Sowden
  3. I Madan
  4. K Walker-Bone
  5. CA Chew-Graham
  6. B Saunders
  7. M Lewis
  8. K Bromley
  9. S Jowett
  10. V Parsons
  11. G Mansell
  12. K Cooke
  13. SA Lawton
  14. C Linaker
  15. J Pemberton
  16. C Cooper
  17. NE Foster
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Abstract

Objectives

Most patients with health conditions necessitating time off work consult in primary care. Offering vocational advice (VA) early within this setting may help them to return-to-work (RTW) and reduce sickness absence. Previous research shows the benefits of VA interventions for musculoskeletal pain in primary care, but an intervention for a much broader primary care patient population has yet to be tested. The WAVE feasibility study tested patient identification and recruitment methods, explored participants’ experiences of being invited to the study and their experiences of receiving VA.

Design

A mixed method, single arm feasibility study comprising both quantitative and qualitative analysis of recruitment and participation in the study.

Setting

Primary care

Methods

The study included participant follow-up by fortnightly SMS text and 6-week questionnaire. Stop/go criteria focused on recruitment and intervention engagement. The semi-structured interviews explored participants experiences of recruitment and receipt and engagement with the intervention.

Results

Nineteen participants were recruited (4.3% response rate). Identification of participants via retrospective fit-note searches was reasonably successful (13/19 (68%) identified), recruitment stop/go criteria were met with >50% of those eligible and expressing an interest recruited. The stop/go criterion for intervention engagement was met with 16/19 (86%) participants having at least one contact with a Vocational Support Worker (VSW). Five participants were interviewed; they reported positive experiences of recruitment and felt the VA intervention was acceptable.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that delivering VA in primary care is feasible and acceptable. To ensure a future trial is feasible, recruitment strategies and data collection methods require additional refinement.

Trial registration: Clinical Trials: NCT04543097

Protocol number: Version 5.1

Article summary

  • - This is the first study to test the feasibility of delivering a VA intervention to patients who present in primary care, regardless of their health condition.

  • - The study used mixed methods to fully explore feasibility of the delivery of a full trial

  • - The findings can usefully inform the development of the methods for a future trial to ensure that it meets the needs of participants in supporting them to return-to-work after a period of absence

    • Article activity feed

    1. Version published to 10.1101/2025.09.15.25335634 on medRxiv