The service gives access to specialised advice and vocational support for members diagnosed with a critical illness. Members are offered a phone consultation with a CISS support adviser who is a registered health professional. The adviser will then put together a tailored resource pack to help manage the identified issues and arrange another contact session to check on progress and offer any further advice. The service is also available to members’ children should they need it.
The service is provided by rehabilitation partner Working Towards Wellbeing (W2W). Users of the service are also given access to a ‘private client area’ of the W2W website which has further information on Critical Illness and a chat room where people can find help and offer advice to others with similar conditions.
Friends Life director of group protection director David Williams says: “We understand that being diagnosed with a critical illness is not just about the financial implications. The critical illness support service offers members, and their children, who are diagnosed with a critical illness access to advice and support at a difficult time.”
