Day in the Life

A day in the life of... Jo Jones Each month... we talk to a different occupational therapist to see what a typical day is for them and explain a little more about their role. Jo Jones Jo Jones has been working as a case manager for over 15 years with Westcountry Case Management specialising in working with clients living with a brain injury.

What is your role and how long have you been in it?

I am a BABICM advanced case manager and have worked with Westcountry Case Management (WCM) since 2005.

My primary specialism is brain injury; I have experience of working with individuals with visual impairment, maxillo facial injuries, complex orthopaedic injuries, amputation and psychological trauma. I also mentor other case managers at WCM.

Describe a typical day...

I start by 7.30am so I can catch up on admin without fear of being interrupted. I usually have an agenda for the day which may involve client-related visits, Zoom or telephone calls with clients or relatives, or multi-disciplinary meetings. I am constantly re-prioritising my workload and plans for the day often need to change at short notice in response to more pressing demands. Sometimes the only way to cope is to put my phone on silent in order to respond to emails or write reports, otherwise a report can take several weeks to complete! I may be required to attend meetings or case conferences with the client’s litigation team to provide an update regarding the client’s progress and case management plan. This can sometimes be akin to giving evidence in court and can be a bit daunting, but I try to remember that I know the client as well as any professional working with them. I try to finish my day by walking my dog so that I have cleared my head before collecting my daughter from the school bus.

I often need to finish off notes or emails and gather my thoughts for the next working day before powering off for the evening.

What is the hardest thing about your role?

Safeguarding our clients can be the biggest challenge for a case manager along with risk management. We have a duty to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society whilst acknowledging an individual’s rights to exercise their own choices and at times, allow them to make “unwise decisions”. It can be a minefield.

As the case manager, you are ultimately responsible for the support and rehabilitation you have put in place. Lawyers and medical experts frequently scrutinise our records and may challenge our decisions and question our clinical judgement. We have to evidence that our clinical skills are beyond reproach and that our clinical reasoning is sound. Demands can be unrealistic at times and the “to do” list is never-ending. It is of utmost importance to have the back-up and support of a strong cohesive team, which is exactly what we have at WCM.

What is the most enjoyable thing about your role?

I love the flexibility my work gives me and allows me to be creative, reactive and dynamic. Every day is different and I am never bored! I am rarely constrained by unreasonable budgets and bureaucracy, and I feel privileged to be part of an individual’s recovery and am proud to have worked with some of my clients for over 13 years. Find out more about case manager roles at WestCountryCaseManagement.co.uk.

We have a duty to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society