Realising ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition 

The document highlights that in excess of one million people with mental health problems are in receipt of benefits, with the authors arguing that around double that number are currently unemployed. A number of recommendations are made in the report, including those outlined below:

• Welfare to work services should be better placed to assist those with mental health conditions, for example by providing people with continuity of adviser where possible.
• Vocational matters should be incorporated into assessments and consultations across both health and social services, then also be part of treatment plans.
• Misunderstandings between employers, employees and support services should be alleviated.
• Internships for a set duration should be available for those needing to become familiar with the world of employment while they are simultaneously seeking a job.
• Employment specialists are integral to both primary care and secondary mental health teams to deliver integrated support. The authors believe this role could be delivered by someone directly employed by health or social services, or from an outside contractor.
• The DWP should monitor both the services provided and the outcomes delivered for those with mental health conditions.

In its response, the Government has confirmed that it has accepted ‘many of the recommendations.’ Among the commitments made within Work, Recovery & Inclusion are the following:

• NHS commissioners and trusts will be assisted with the enhancement of ‘evidence based vocational support’ for those accessing secondary mental health services.
• Mental health services will be urged to afford greater priority to employment, including in their provision of personal budgets and their data collection.
• An amendment to the Equalities Bill will seek to prohibit the ‘inappropriate use of pre-employment health checks.’
• The Government will work with departments and organisations to look at how more people in contact with secondary mental health care can be employed in the public sector.

The partnerships at a local and regional level necessary to deliver support services will be made more robust, with an emphasis on ensuring that appropriate bodies are involved in the planning and delivery processes.