Department of Health and Social Care announce investment in employment advisors for people with long-term mental health conditions

NHS Confederation welcomes Government funding for mental health employment advice. However, it adds that Liz Truss’ long-term vision for revitalising mental healthcare remains a mystery.

On Monday 10th, the UK Government made use of World Mental Health Day to announce ￡122 million to boost access to employment advisers for people with common mental health problems, such as, anxiety and depression.

In a press statement, the Government said that the multi-million-pound investment is being used to roll out ‘vital’ NHS England service nationally, providing those who receive mental health support with employment advice to help them stay in work or return to the job market.

Adding that the service is a union of therapy and employment advice, helping people with psychological conditions to join the labour market, and ‘increase individual prosperity’.

Health and Social Care Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, Thérèse Coffey, said:

“Good physical health and mental wellbeing of the nation is also good for the economic health of the nation, and this government is committed to supporting those not working due to ill health.”

“Giving people receiving mental wellbeing support access to an employment adviser will help them start, stay, and succeed in work – improving their wellbeing and resilience as well as growing our economy.”

NHS England therapists and employment advisers already work together in 40% of England. The plan is for the service to be extended nationally with the recruitment and training of around 700 employment advisers, supporting an additional 100,000 people, aiming for a 2024/25 deadline.

Long-term planning and investment are needed urgently to energise services under considerable pressure

Responding to the Government’s announcement, Sean Duggan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation’s mental health network, welcomed the investment in mental health services. However, he continued that this strategy of investment is not enough to solve the embedded issues that people are experiencing in accessing mental health care.

He said:

“It is welcome news that the Government is investing in mental health services which will help support a greater number of people to find, stay in or return to work.

“We know that having a job can be good for many people’s mental health but also recognise that employment can, unfortunately, be a source of stress and worry for people, so alongside this investment, it is important that employers across the country do everything they can to support the wellbeing of their staff.

“While we hope this intervention will help people’s mental wellbeing now, there are still well over one million people on waiting lists for specialist mental healthcare, and these services are struggling with huge staffing vacancies of their own. In this context, it is deeply worrying that the Government’s long-term vision on mental healthcare remains a mystery, having not featured in the Secretary of State’s?Plan for Patients,?and so we call on ministers to set this out without delay.”