The Senior Lecturer

Multiple chronic conditions affecting her ability to work. Previous interventions became adjustments that existed on paper only

The Person & The Problem

The role:

Senior Lecturer, 11 years in post, teaching across multiple rooms & campus routes

Conditions and areas of difficulty:

Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, osteoarthritis, wrist problems & unpredictable leg weakness
Pain, fatigue & cognitive overload, coping by “putting her head down and carrying on”

The frustrations in this case:

Adjustments weren’t designed around her real working day: timetabling, room allocation and a shared office meant they couldn’t be used.

A group taking part in an office discussion

What Had Been Tried

Previous recommendations and equipment:

OH recommendations since 2017. Applied only “where possible”
Perch stool provided but left in the office, as teaching rooms varied and she couldn’t take it from room to room
Split keyboard & vertical mouse (remote DSE, 2024). Only worsened shoulder symptoms as not correct for her issues
Speech-to-text recommended but never implemented (shared office)

An ergonomics consultant listening to a person at their workstation

Our Intervention

From equipment “where possible” to a plan built around how, and where, she actually works — supporting the individual and the organisation together.

A lecturer and students discussing coursework in a lecture room

Whole-role assessment

In-person, whole-role assessment: office, teaching spaces & campus routes

Two office chairs beside a shared desk with privacy screens

Equipment in context

Equipment matched to her, in context, including perching stools in every teaching room she lectured in, compact input devices, monitor arms

Two colleagues using headsets at an office workstation

Assistive technology rethought

Speech-to-text at home, voice notes for marking, with specialist training

A person writing on a desk calendar beside a computer

Organisational plan

Written adjustments, pacing, room allocation

The outcome

Hidden benefit: Will assist others who also need to be able to sit when lecturing & raised awareness.

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