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Work & Employment
Guidance & Tools
See guidance & tools for other inclusive practices and domains
From the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, this is a concise guide for health and social care commissioners on how to involve people with direct experience of using mental health services in the re-commissioning of day and vocational services. It is based on the experiences of commissioners and service users who collaborated on re-designing and modernising local services.
This experience has shown that a well planned and managed re-commissioning process can make an enormous difference to people's lives and that the involvement of service users from the start of the process is crucial to success.
Download guide:
Report of Initial Consultation
Skills for Health (SfH) has been working closely with a number of third sector employers to identify the workforce needs of the sector.
This research was commissioned as part of a developing approach to explore the feasibility of introducing a skills passport and its value as a means of supporting and facilitating workforce development.
This study is of potential interest across England and the UK, although its scope was originally confined to the London Region because of the nature of the third sector in this region.
Download report:
Briefing 27 from The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
A briefing for mental health workers:
This briefing paper is for staff working with people with mental health problems, based within mental health,housing, employment or other support services.
It provides information on:
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the disincentives to work associated with the welfare benefits system
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ways of minimising or overcoming these barriers to work
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other financial help which may be available
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sources of useful information
Download as a PDF file:
A healthy workforce is a sustainable workforce; it makes common sense to ensure that, wherever possible, the people who make up our organisations are in good health and feel good about themselves and their work environment.
Adaptable to the size and sector of your organisation, The Business Healthcheck helps turn health and well-being into management information on which businesses can act, and shows that wellness really can have an impact on your bottom line.
Visit website:
Partnership working between Trade Union Reps. & Mental Health Job Retention Case Managers
Case Managers have expressed there concerns, for some time, now regarding the quality of service provided by the Trade Unions for their members who experience mental health difficulties.
This survey, amongst network members seeks to ascertain where the problems lie and how they may be addressed.
Download as a PDF file:
The Develop Work Inclusion Questionnaire was designed in Bromley with service users to be filled in by anyone wanting to plan their personal development around employment issues.
Alternatively it can be used as a set of prompts in a conversation to find out what levels of support someone may want to be able to fulfill their employment needs. The questions concern the various steps that anyone might need to take in order to access, for example advice on returning to work or getting a job after a long break.
Along the top are different kinds of supports. You can record the ones you want by ticking the boxes according to your wishes. All you need to do then is decide which order you want to tackle the steps you have identified and then seek out the supports you need to get on your way.
Download as a PDF file:
"About Time - Commissioning to transform day and vocational services" is a practical new toolkit to help those involved in commissioning mental health day and employment services published by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.
Launched on 12th June 2008, About Time recognises the key role commissioners have in ensuring that necessary changes are made to day and vocational services and provides detailed guidance to assist them in this task.
It is the first step-by-step guide to re-commissioning day and vocational services and includes:
o How to review the services commissioners are currently paying for
o How to construct a vision of what new services might look like.
o How to develop a range of personalised services that will help people fulfil their hopes and ambitions.
About Time is based on the real experiences of commissioners in Southern England who have recently re-designed their services.
It costs £25 and can be ordered from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health website:
A concise directory ready to print out of Bromley services in relation to work and employment, produced by Develop with useful information and contact details.
Download listings:
Developed by Employers' Forum on disability (EFD), the Disability Standard is the only management tool that enables organisations to accurately measure their performance on disability, in every way it affects the business, and to put in place action plans that deliver real business improvement.
The Disability Standard is a disability management tool consisting of several elements. Essentially, it is an online assessment in which participating organisations rate themselves against statements that cover all aspects of disability both for employees and customers/service users. Evidence is submitted to support these ratings.
Submissions are then analysed by disability experts and reports on performance are prepared for each participating organisation. As well as this assessment, the results of all participants are used to provide a benchmark score against which all participants can compare their performance. these results are analysed further in the Disability standard Benchmark Report, which provides a snapshot of UK business performance on disability.
Download brochure (PDF) and visit website:
Business Boosters
Presentation for a NFEA annual conference in 2005, regarding the delivery of training by trainers who had experienced mental distress, to NFEA business start up advisors on mental health awareness and enabling people with mental health problems to start up in business.
The project was created by Mind in conjunction with the NFEA.
Download as a PDF file:
Guides and Factsheets
Employment and support allowance (ESA) is a new benefit paid to people whose ability to work is limited by ill health or disability. It is intended to replace both incapacity benefit (IB) and income support (IS) paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claimants from 27 October 2008 and for existing IB/IS claimants at a later date.
Information from both the Disability Alliance and Bromley Mind
Resources:
Latest ESA update from December 2008.
Download update and feeback form:
Booklet produced by Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).
Every year Acas helps employers and employees from thousands of workplaces. That means keeping right up to date with today's employment relations issues - such as discipline and grievance handling, preventing discrimination and communicating effectively in workplaces.
Download booklet (PDF):
..and incapacity for work.
NICE's recommendations on managing long-term sickness absence and incapacity for work. It is for employers, people working in the NHS (particularly in primary care & occupational health).
Includes those working in LA's, in community, voluntary and private sectors. It will also be of interest to workplace representatives and trades unions as well as employees and those receiving incapacity benefit or employment support allowance.
Download full guidance and quick reference guide:
Key indicators for the development of evidence-based employment services
From the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, this paper puts forward a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to assist local mental health and employment services to monitor employment outcomes and target development priorities for people in contact with specialist mental health services.
Download paper:
This resource is written for managers - particularly those in small and medium-sized organisations.
It offers practical advice on managing and supporting people who are experiencing stress, distress and mental health problems.
Download as a PDF file:
The guidance is for those who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, promoting mental wellbeing at work. This includes all employers and their representatives, irrespective of the size of the business or organisation and whether they are in the public, private, or voluntary sectors. It may also be of interest to professionals working in human resources or occupational health, employees, trade unions representatives and members of the public.
It focuses on interventions to promote mental wellbeing through productive and healthy working conditions, and makes five recommendations covering: strategy, assessing opportunities for promoting mental wellbeing and managing risk, flexible working, the role of line managers, and supporting micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Download document:
A series of leaflets from the Disability Rights Commission providing practical advice and information on getting and keeping employment.
Resources:
The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010...
...is aimed at disabled people who are not working but would like to.
The book is full of information and advice to help people in their journey into work.
Niace are delighted to announce that they have copies of The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010 available to order.
The books are available as a pack of 5 for £12.50 or a box of 50 for £100. If you want more than 1,000 copies then please get in touch with Michael Lyden, on 0116 285 9701 to discuss discounts on bulk orders.
Place your order today by calling 0870 600 2400 or order online at:
The Shift Review Panel assesses the quality and impact of materials designed to help employers promote mental wellbeing and manage mental ill health in the workplace.
The panel is funded by Shift, but operates independently.
Visit website:
Promoting mental health, ending discrimination at work
With mental health problems experienced by one in six people, the health and well-being of people of working age is of fundamental importance to ourfuture.
The Government believes that everyone, including employers, has a role to play in improving the mental health of society. This document outlines a new initiative to support organisations in helping to achieve this goal.
Download as a PDF file:
A practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace
This guide to managing people with mental health problems in the workplace is part of the Department of Health programme to reduce the stigma & discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.
It's a practical line manager's guide and resource but human resources & occupational health departments will also find it very useful to read as well - it's for all businesses & particularly useful for enhancing job retention practice.
Download resource (2009 version):
What About Work?
This brief guide aims to ensure that those working with people with mental health issues are aware of some of the things that are important to consider when they start to look for employment.
It gives details of a range of agencies that offer practical and financial support. It is not an attempt to put pressure on people, but will hopefully encourage them, and those working with them, to view paid work as a viable option.
Download guide:
Web resource developed by Shaw Trust to provide line managers with the support and guidance they need to support employees with mental ill health.
Visit their website:
The Bromley Employment Retention Form is primarily designed for Occupational Therapists working with people using the in-patient services at Green Parks House.
It can be adapted for use in other settings and is recommended.
Download as a PDF file:
On Tuesday 6 April, 2010 the "Sick Note" was replaced by the "Fit Note".
The Sick Note stated whether a GP believed that a person should or should not be in work.
The new Fit Note will either say a person is not fit for work, or that they might be fit for work under certain circumstances.
What happens if you or your employer don't agree with the medical statement? Do sickness absence procedures need to be changed?
What are the implications for occupational sick pay schemes, or Statutory Sick Pay, or benefits?
Read more about the new Fit Note with these guides:
People with mental health problems constitute the largest group of people who are unemployed as a result of disability. The barriers and difficulties experienced by people with mental health problems in returning to work should not be underestimated and have been well documented elsewhere.
The Social Exclusion Unit has subsequently identified employment as a priority action area for people experiencing mental health problems. Employment for people with mental health problems is therefore afforded high priority by Government, as well as by people experiencing mental health difficulties. Two of the main barriers people face in securing and retaining employment is the lack of collaboration between different organisations and the lack of understanding of how to work with people in a positive way. The Working for Mental Health (WfMH) materials have been designed to address these barriers.
Download as PDF files:
These standards are designed to protect the quality of care provided to people who require clinical and vocational rehabilitation.
The standards give a tool to people who may have no specialist knowledge of rehabilitation, helping them to assess potential providers, before they are appointed and to monitor the care once started.
Visit website to download standards:
A resource pack for social enterprise providers and commissioners
Produced to signpost people/organisations to support and guidance on setting up a social enterprise in the health and social care sector.
Download as a PDF file:
The Department of Health has announced the publication of Work Matters: Vocational Navigation for Occupational Therapy Staff.
This good practice booklet is designed to help occupational therapy staff recognise the importance of work as an integral part of an individual's recovery, provides information on how to assist patients to take charge of their own return to work and on establishing effective partnerships with other service providers.
Resources:
Mental Health Network Briefing - March 2010
The link between employment and positive mental health is an issue of great importance for the NHS, both in terms of supporting service users to recover from mental health conditions and for improving staff productivity. Between 10 per cent and 16 per cent of people with a mental health condition, excluding depression, are in employment. However, between 86 and 90 per cent of this group want to work. Meaningful work is integral to recovery.
Employers who take steps to improve the management of mental health at work can help to improve staff productivity and save money. As the NHS enters a challenging period for future funding, reducing the costs of staff sickness absence and driving up productivity are critical.
This Briefing outlines the key themes from recently launched government policies in this field and sets out actions for the NHS, as both an employer and service provider.
Download briefing:
Staff wellbeing in the post-16 education and training sector
Produced by NIACE, This resource pack promotes the positive mental health of people working in the post-16 education and training sector. It raims to raise awareness of issues and supports employers so they can develop good practice.
Download document:
Published in 2005, this systematic review by The British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF) is designed to provide evidence-based answers on key questions related to mental ill health in the workplace. It is intended to assist managers, occupational health professionals and other interested parties in making management decisions and offering advice in the confidence that they are based on the most robust evidence available.
Download report:
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