‘Case management is a steep learning curve from a clinical setting’

With a background in physiotherapy, Joanne Blakeley is now helping to shape futures through building close and strong relationships with clients through her role with AMS Case Management. Here, she discusses how the role is positively challenging and gives the ability to deliver life-changing outcomes after serious injury

How long have you worked as a case manager and what is your background?

I began my case management career in February 2017 where I was involved in the management of predominantly multi-trauma cases with 25 per cent of my cases being catastrophic cases such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and amputations. 

As I was always concerned what happened to my clients following settlement and wanted to be involved in the longer-term processes, I then moved into an associate case management role with the longer-term catastrophic client, where I was undertaking the management of more significant injuries. I have now worked in catastrophic cases for four years. 

My clinical background is as a physiotherapist, working in the NHS in a variety of settings, but towards the end of my career with the NHS I was clinical lead for surgery, vascular and respiratory patients. This gave me a good overall background for the management of complex clients and a broad depth of medical and therapeutic knowledge.

What attracted you to become a case manager and why?

I was always concerned about the issues facing patients in the NHS system, who were basically seen in hospital and made medically fit for discharge but then had no access to therapies etc. to help improve their quality of life and gain levels of independence conducive to them being able to lead productive and beneficial lives. 

The attraction to case management was the ability to help shape the recovery of people, who through no fault of their own, would otherwise be left to struggle with life-changing injuries and have significant impacts on their physical, emotional, psychological health and social interaction ability. 

What attracted you to AMS specifically?

Marie and the AMS Case Management team’s ethos of working was the main reason for being attracted to the company, they are a very close firm who support each other, and they have their clients’ welfare at the heart of their working practice.

Has the pandemic changed working practice?

Case management working remains very much the same as when I started, in that the client needs are at the heart of the work we do. During the pandemic I think this allowed case managers to start to look at how we could minimise costs to clients for things such as meetings and communication.

This has allowed us to review clients in a more socially distant manner, which in some cases is very helpful, yet it has also highlighted the importance of face-to-face interactions with our clients. 

What makes AMS a stand-out name in the marketplace?

I feel it is the ethical way they work, there is a genuine need in the team to assist clients, provide good quality support and care, along with being mindful of not being wasteful of funds and maximising a client’s outcome.

In addition to this the team may be a smaller team, but the great thing is that we have a wealth of knowledge both from a case management point of view but also from a social and medical approach.

What do you help clients to achieve?

I work with a wide range of clients, and the below helps to show the very wide range of concerns we as case managers deal with.

Recently I have achieved: 

• getting clients accommodation, both purchased and rented, in both a private setting and local authority provision
• lower limb prosthesis provision and management 
• medical interventions
• therapeutic interventions 
• equipment provision 
• psychological assistance 
• facilitating NHS appointments to ensure that the client is getting what they are entitled to access, saving funds on private medical input 
• liaising with social services to ensure funding for social care is being met by a mixture of social care funding, CHC funding and private funding limiting the drain on the clients’ funds moving forward. 

Would you recommend a career in case management and why?

Yes, I would, but I think it is always good for people to know that it will push your knowledge and it is a steep learning curve from working in a clinical setting to case management.