Published on: 22nd March 2016
A group of health professionals who help people with mental health problems into paid work have been recognised for the ‘excellent’ service they provide.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Wellbeing Through Work staff have now joined a prestigious group of just 15 teams nationwide who are regarded as providing exemplary employment support to service users looking to find and remain in work.
They have been listed by the national Centre for Mental Health (CMH) as an official ‘Centre of Excellence’, for their use of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach, which was specifically designed following extensive international research, to help people with severe mental health conditions into paid employment.
The details of Centres of Excellence are published on the CMH website and provide information and advice to other employment services on what works best across the country.
Their achievement comes just 18 months after the team was invited by CMH to take part in a Department of Health funded pilot for IPS development in Lincolnshire.
LPFT's Lead Occupational Therapist, Jane Tuxworth, said the Trust has already made a great start by supporting 40 service users into jobs that are right for them.
The Trust is currently working in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health and by July this year we aim to have helped 60 people into paid employment. Being part of the national programme gave us the resource and incentive to strive to provide the best service possible for our patients. Getting a job and the value this brings can be an instrumental factor in a person’s recovery journey from mental ill health, and is an area often disregarded as a beneficial health outcome. To have increased the number of job outcomes using the IPS approach, particularly in the current economic climate and in such a short period of time, shows that it works. I am absolutely delighted on the outcome of this review and the national recognition this brings for the service and the Trust.
The Trust is now listed on the Centre for Mental Health (CMH) website with all visitors directed to its services for more information about how LPFT implements the IPS approach locally.
Ian Jerams, LPFT’s Director of Operations said:
Centre of Excellence status confirmed so soon after taking part in the pilot scheme is testament to the vital work we do. Work that takes place every day in supporting people with mental health problems gain employment means they are able to maintain as good a quality of life as possible.”
