Campaign aims to get mental health patients back into work

Campaign aims to get mental health patients back into work

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has announced plans for a scheme where ‘employment advisors’ will visit mental health patients in hospitals to help them back into work.

The scheme comes in the wake of figures released by think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which estimates that the costs of disability benefits to taxpayers are estimated to reach £63 billion by 2028. Coaches will help people with job applications, CV and dealing with interviews.

‘Dramatic results’

A trial of the approach, said Liz Kendall, had produced “dramatic results” in terms of returns to the workplace — and will help address the UK’s issues with its population of ‘economically inactive’ people (21.8% of 16-64 year-olds).

But mental health charities aren’t convinced. “It is ridiculous to try and turn a hospital, a place of care and support into a business setting,” said Mikey Erhardt at Disability Rights UK. “It is hugely inappropriate to be considering subjecting people who experience mental ill-health and distress to a CV check-up.”

Back to employers

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “While we know that getting back to work provides important routines, rewards and a supportive social environment for most people, it’s not the solution to mental health problems in itself. The obvious reality is that work involves its own stresses and challenges.

“In other words, the Government needs to keep in mind that the greater challenge is for employers and their HR and wellbeing teams. Both in providing the right support and environment for returning workers, and to help maintain the balance of challenge and wellbeing for its staff, keeping them in work in the first place.”