31.10.19
New partnership set to help those with serious mental illnesses into work
South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System has put £1,101,877 of funding into a new public and voluntary sector partnership led by South Yorkshire Housing Association to deliver the new service.
Rates of employment are lesser for people with mental illness than for those with any other health condition. Most people with mental health issues would like to work but only 7 per cent of those with severe mental illness are in paid jobs.
The partnership includes South Yorkshire Housing Association, Citizen’s Advice Sheffield and all of the region’s mental health providers – Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The funding will be used for increasing the number of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment specialists working within NHS secondary mental health services. Their role will be to support patients with severe mental illness in finding sustainable employment.
IPS employment specialists offer patients with severe mental illness coaching and advice, along with practical tips on finding a job and preparing for interviews. They search for jobs and approach employers on the patient’s behalf to find suitable roles, acting as an important link between patient, employer and medical staff. As part of this initiative, patients will also have fast-tracked access to benefits and debt advice through Citizen’s Advice, Sheffield.
Tony Stacey, Chief Executive of South Yorkshire Housing Association said: “Innovation is a much over-used word, but in this case it’s the right one. This is a unique partnership between the voluntary sector (South Yorkshire Housing Association and Citizen’s Advice) and the NHS. The service will focus on what we call ‘good work’ opportunities. There is some element of fear about employment and health schemes forcing people into low-paid jobs they don’t want. We are not trying to expose people’s weaknesses; our model works with people’s strengths.”