Our employment service

We know being in employment can positively impact your recovery and wellbeing.

What we do

We support people receiving care from our mental health teams, who are motivated to find paid employment or who’s current job is at risk.

Unemployed IPS pathway

You will be allocated an employment specialist who will work with you to reach your employment goals.

The specialist will build a picture of your employment needs and goals, before working with you to agree a plan moving forward.

They will support you by following the 8 principles of IPS:

• Competitive employment is the goal. This is either a part-time or full-time paid position (at least minimum wage)
• No one is excluded from the support if they are receiving care from one of our community mental health teams (diagnosis is no barrier)
• Individual preferences are our focus (we job search around what you want to do)
• We job search rapidly (within four weeks of working with you)
• We are part of your mental health team and work closely with others involved in your care
• We support you to get advice around benefits and how these will change once in employment
• We can approach employers on your behalf to build a relationship based on your preferences (and with your permission)
• We support you after you have obtained a job, until you feel comfortable, and we can also support your employer (with your permission)

 

What support looks like practically

Your employment specialist can assist you with:

• Creating and tailoring a CV
• Job searching
• Job applications
• Interview preparation and practice
• Sharing information about your mental health with the employer (if you wish to do this)
• Supporting employer discussions (if you want us to)
• Staying well in work
• Obtaining benefit advice
• Supporting if your job is at risk

 

Our job retention service

Our job retention service can support your return to work or remain in your job.

What we do

• We support individuals when their job is at risk
• We support individuals when their mental health and wellbeing is impacting on their work
• Or work is impacting on their mental health and wellbeing, and they wish to retain their job

What support looks like practically

Your employment specialist can assist you with:

• Advice and guidance around job retention issues, this could take many forms, but will be tailored to meet each individual’s needs
• Decide whether IPS is suitable for you and if not, will aim to signpost you to other services that suit your needs
• Looking at possible improvements in the work environment (may involve contact with employer)
• Offering advice around reasonable adjustments and the Equality Act 2010
• Contact with employers and other relevant professionals
• Regular meetings to discuss progress towards goals
• Respect your confidentiality in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

IPS can support

• Return to work planning
• Employer engagement
• Reasonable adjustments
• Redeployment
• Managing personal information
• Mental health awareness training
• Signposting to specialist services

IPS cannot support

• Disciplinaries
• Capabilities
• Trade union involvement
• Tribunals
• Giving legal advice

 

Write to us

Oxford:

OxonEmploymentService@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Buckinghamshire:

BucksEmploymentService@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk