Our team of award winning vocational rehabilitation experts are registered Vocational Case Managers with the IRCM, professional members of BABICM, VRA and CMSUK and specialise in helping clients with brain injuries or neurological conditions return to meaningful and sustainable employment.

At SR Vocational Rehabilitation, our mission is to help clients regain independence and build resilience, with a focus on achieving realistic and sustainable employment.

We have extensive experience in negotiating comprehensive return-to-work programmes with employers, including the implementation of significant reasonable adjustments and role modifications.

Where paid employment is not achievable, we work with clients and their multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to support meaningful alternatives such as education, training, or volunteering.

We also specialise in supporting young people with catastrophic injuries with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) through key life transitions, with particular expertise in post-16 options.

Led by Spencer and supported by Fiona, we provide a comprehensive range of specialist services, including:

  • Vocational assessment
  • Vocational case management
  • Vocational rehabilitation consultancy
  • Employment support

Every service is carefully tailored to the individual, with a primary focus on helping clients with catastrophic injuries overcome the significant barriers to work they face.

Spencer Rathborne

With over 25 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation and more than 20 years as a Vocational Case Manager/ Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, Spencer Rathborne has a proven track record of supporting catastrophically injured clients. He has successfully worked with over 100 individuals with a range of complex conditions, including brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, complex orthopaedic injuries, and amputees to return them to meaningful occupation.

Safeguarding and assessing risk is a fundamental and integral part of Spencer’s practice. Due to the complex nature of catastrophic injuries and the vulnerabilities of his clients, including children, young people, and adults, Spencer operates with a strong commitment to their welfare and protection. He holds a Level 4 Safeguarding qualification for Adults, Children and Young People and works collaboratively with Clinical Case Managers and MDTs to assess risk and monitor and participates in regular clinical supervision which includes supervision on safeguarding. This commitment ensures that all assessments and support programmes are delivered with a thorough understanding of risk and a proactive approach to ensuring the client’s safety and well-being.

Recognised Expertise and Credentials

Spencer’s work with catastrophically injured clients has been widely recognised within the industry. He was the winner of the Case Management Society UK Vocational Case Manager of the Year award in 2019 and a three-time finalist for the Vocational Rehabilitation Association’s VR Practitioner of the Year award in 2014, 2021 & 2022. He was also a finalist in the Insurance Post Claim Awards for Case Manager of the Year in 2019.

His expertise is built on strong professional foundations:

  • Registered Case Manager with the Institute of Registered Case Managers (IRCM Registration Number RCM1613)
  • Professional member of the Case Management Society UK (CMSUK), Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA), and British Association of Brain Injury and Complex Case Management (BABICM).

Spencer is frequently invited to speak on vocational rehabilitation for catastrophically injured clients, having presented at the London Brain Injury Forum and the Vocational Rehabilitation Association’s annual conference and has presented at Headway West London on several occasions offering advice and guidance to people with brain injuries on how to overcome barriers to return to work. Spencer has also written an article in the spinal cord injury association magazine about how he works with SCI clients to maximise their success in returning to work.

A Proven Approach to Overcoming Barriers

Spencer receives repeat referrals from solicitors and clinical case manager colleagues as well as recommendations from therapists because he is known for achieving positive results with clients who have the most complex injuries. His approach is client-centred and goal-oriented, ensuring that all programmes are tailored to their changing needs and that they remain engaged and motivated.

Spencer’s extensive experience includes:

  • Returning clients to their pre-injury job: He successfully supports clients returning to their existing roles after a long-term absence, negotiating significant adjustments and overseeing the transition to ensure ongoing support.
  • Securing new employment: When returning to a previous job isn’t possible, he helps clients secure new employment in the open labour market, considering all options including self-employment and alternative careers.
  • Specialist Transition Work: He has a specialism in helping young catastrophically injured clients transition through further education and also into employment. This includes support identifying post 16 options and negotiating reasonable adjustments at college and university, providing practical support to help them pass their courses and guiding students with negotiating the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) funding process and supporting young people at school, college and alternative educational environments with or without an EHCP. Spencer also has extensive experience working with young people with brain injuries who are not in education, employment or training and who can be difficult to engage.

Spencer has worked with clients across a wide range of professions, from trades and construction to police officers, teachers, company directors, and professional and amateur athletes on the Paralympic pathway including working with medical professionals with brain injuries including doctors.

A key part of his success is his ability to work seamlessly with other professionals. Spencer is experienced in running joint sessions with other therapists and working with a wide range of clinical and vocational professionals to pursue client interdisciplinary goals. This collaborative approach ensures all aspects of a client’s rehabilitation are aligned, leading to more successful and lasting outcomes.

Fiona Rumney

Spencer is supported by Fiona Rumney, a highly experienced Vocational Case Manager who provides assistant support on some complex cases. In addition, Fiona specialises in SR Vocational Rehabilitation’s generalised vocational rehabilitation services with expertise in mental health, transferable skills, analysis and job searching and support, bringing extensive expertise to the team and ensuring all clients receive exceptional support.

Fiona is a Registered Case Manager with the IRCM, a Professional Member of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association UK, a Registered Practitioner with BABICM, and holds Professional Membership with the Case Management Society UK.

With over 30 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation, Fiona has delivered independent and personalised vocational assessment and case management services, helping individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions secure and retain sustainable employment. She is a passionate advocate for vocational rehabilitation and its transformative impact on people’s lives. Fiona became a Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) in 2013.

Her expertise includes being a certified Adult Dyslexia Vocational Evaluator and a trained Systematic Instruction practitioner. She is also qualified to deliver psychometric assessments and is registered with the British Psychological Society as a Test User in Occupational Ability.

In addition to her core qualifications, Fiona holds certifications in Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding Adults, and an NVQ Level 3 in Information, Advice and Guidance.

Today, Fiona continues to deliver vocational assessment and case management services as a Consultant Vocational Case Manager on an associate basis, providing her expertise on both a single and joint instruction. She is also the Specialist Literacy Expert for Read Easy Torbay, part of the national Read Easy UK charity that supports adults learning to read.

Testimonials

We believe the most powerful endorsement of our work comes from those we serve.

Please see our Testimonials for genuine feedback from the case managers, solicitors, insurance companies, clients and their parents we have had the privilege of supporting. These are just a small sample of the many commendations Spencer has received throughout his career.

All testimonials are available to be shown upon request.

“Spencer is above all a caring and professional vocational case manager. He is able to maintain focus at all times on his primary client but is also sensitive to the wishes and feelings of those supporting the client. He has worked extremely well with our client, his family, treating team and employer to achieve some wonderful results. The quality of my client’s life has improved significantly and he has been able to develop a trusting professional relationship with Spencer that has supported him in developing his options in life further than we could have hoped for.”

– Clinical Case Manager

“I would like to say that I have found Spencer to be very thorough in his approach to VR rehabilitation and I am very impressed with his work and the results he achieves for clients.”

– Solicitor

“I just wanted to drop you a quick email to say a big thank you to you for all your help and support throughout the duration of my case. The way you have conducted yourself with me and my family have been both professional but also friendly making the process much easier and adding a sincerity to the advice given. I felt very comfortable with the actions plans we put together and I got the feeling that they were very genuine towards my best interest and not just part of a process for another case in your workload.
From someone such as myself who takes great pride in my work, I can tell that you also take pride in yours, so I just wanted you to know that it has been greatly appreciated.”
– Client

“Thank you so much for all you have done with me over the past few years, it’s definitely improved my ability to make decisions by thinking of longer term outcomes (fatigue etc), but I feel like this has also helped other areas of my life as well and I really appreciate that because if it wasn’t for your input, I feel like I wouldn’t be in as good of a position as I’m in at the moment. Thanks again for all your help over the years and I wish you all the best in the future.”
– Client

“I would like to thank you personally for your hard work and professionalism in dealing with my case. It was a great comfort to know that that there was someone such as yourself to help me get back to some sort of normal life. This has certainly been a great help to me in my rehabilitation.
Spencer, my whole family would like to thank you for your input and hard work and feel that if it had not been for your involvement that things would not have changed. Thank you for your understanding approach and the professional way in dealing with this case.”
– Client

“I am writing to give thanks and praise for a very kind and professional person that was assigned to me. I am talking about Spencer as for four long years he has gone above and beyond his normal duties to see that after I had a life changing motorbike accident, I received the best care and was treated with the upmost respect with getting me back to a normal working family life. He has helped me with my job after I was up for redundancy and now, I am still working for the same company in a far better job that fits my needs. He also helped with my mental state with my mood swings getting me the right care I needed it at that time.
He also helped my family, my wife who had to cope with the extra stress of looking and caring after my personal needs whilst running a house and caring for three children the youngest being disabled herself
I would like to say if anyone who has an unfortunate event in their life and ends up the same way, I would hope that Spencer would be assigned to them as this man gives 110% to helping clients who he works with.”
– Client

“Spencer has been working with our son for several months. He has supported him to find work, liaising with HR and his manager to ensure that his duties are appropriate and that our son is successful in what he does. Throughout this time Spencer has liaised with us, going above and beyond to ensure the success of his employment. We have been impressed by the way Spencer has been committed to checking in with our son and his manager to ensure the success of this venture. Spencer’s involvement has taken a huge burden off us and we are very grateful for his dedication and expertise in this area.”
– Client Parent

“Dear Spencer
I wanted to write to you on behalf of the team to congratulate you on your recent exceptional achievement. Winning the overall case manager of the year 2019 I ordered by the case management Society UK in London is excellent recognition of your hard work. This was no surprise to us and we already know how good you are and highly value your professionalism and holistic skill set when working with our client group to reach their outcomes.”
– Instructing Party

“May I take this opportunity to thank you for all your input you have invested in this case. It was not an easy matter to open a dialogue with the Met Police but you have achieved this. Your actions have resulted in the claimant being able to remain in the police force long-term even if she will not be able to return to full operational role. Prior to your involvement, her future look very uncertain. I will certainly look at to use you again indeed have mentioned your name to solicitors on another case.”
– Insurer

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