Thousands of people across the Black Country with health conditions and disabilities are set to be supported to find or retain employment to boost their wellbeing, thanks to a new national scheme that will be piloted in the Black Country.
The Black Country is one of just 15 places around the country to be chosen as a pilot area for the WorkWell scheme which will provide early intervention to people who are experiencing barriers to gain or retain employment due to health conditions or disabilities.
It aims to support 4,000 local people on their journey to gain employment or retain jobs, providing them with the support to start, stay or succeed in work.
The scheme will see organisations work together to provide personalised support to individuals to help them achieve their goals.
Partnership working across the NHS, local government, job centres, social housing, education, the voluntary sector and wider employers has been integral to the success of the bid as organisations have worked together to gain the £3.7 million of government funding to make the scheme a reality.
It will be led by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) but will draw on the expertise of partner organisations to provide knowledge and shared learning to develop the service, as well as opportunities to provide holistic support to participants.
Work and Health Coaches will be on hand to meet with participants to gain an understanding of their needs, areas of work they are interested in pursuing and what help they need to overcome barriers to achieve their goals. The participant will be offered support and referred to other services if longer-term help is required.
BCHFT has a strong record of delivering successful employment and health schemes. The Thrive into Work service, which helps people with mental and physical health needs find and retain work, last year supported 867 people who accessed this service towards this goal. Meanwhile the IPS Employment Service which helps people who are receiving secondary mental health care to gain and retain work, helped 1106 people who accessed this service.
Dr Mohit Mandiratta is a GP partner at Feldon Practice and has been involved in the Thrive into Work programme since its inception. He said: “We know people who are off sick for any extended period of time struggle to return to full-time work. We also know being employed has such a positive impact on physical and mental health and reduces the dependency on health and social care services.
“I have seen first-hand the transformative difference that employment can make to a person’s overall health and wellbeing. It helps them become more confident and independent, gives structure to their day-to-day lives and help them find fulfilment.
“It is really fantastic that the WorkWell investment will help us to make a difference for local people through more employment support.”
Kuli Kaur Wilson, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at BCHFT, said: “I am delighted that the Black Country has been chosen as a pilot area for the WorkWell scheme. It is a testament to the strong partnerships across the region that has seen organisations work together with a shared goal to make a real difference to the lives of people in the Black Country.
“Unemployment can be a major contributor to both ill health and health inequalities for many of our communities. By taking an integrated approach to health and work, we can help remove the barriers that stop people from being able to access and keep meaningful work. We look forward to collaborating with our partners across the Black Country to make the WorkWell scheme a force for good across our communities.”
Mr Jonathan Fellows, Independent Chair of the Black Country Integrated Care Partnership, said: “Lack of employment is one of the main predictors of a person’s healthy life expectancy and we know that people who live in areas with high employment rates are more likely to live longer.
“People living with a long-term health condition and those with poor health often find that seeking and retaining employment difficult. However, with the right support, people can secure good quality work which will help prevent them from becoming more unwell and live fuller lives, which in turn also helps to reduce pressure on local health services.
“It is key that we work together across all sectors to secure employment opportunities for local people, and I’m delighted that this additional investment will now mean that many more people can be supported to start, stay, and succeed in work through new integrated work and health support.”
