italk receives £300k employment boost for people receiving mental health support in Hampshire

13 October 2022

italk logo2.pngitalk, Hampshire’s largest Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service, is set to receive £300,000 as part of a national funding boost to help those managing mental health issues, find, stay in, or return to work.

italk, which is provided in partnership with Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Solent Mind, will be one of the first sites to receive funding and will allow them to employ an additional 10-12 Employment Advisors.

Employment Advisors support people who are experiencing stress or conflict in the workplace to the point it has seriously affected their wellbeing. italk currently employs four Employment Advisors and in the past 12 months they have supported over 1,200 patients, with over 800 of those retaining their employment, moving to a more suitable role or returning to work after a period of sick leave.

Jo Moxham, Employment Advisor at italk said:
“This additional funding for the Employment Service within italk is great news as it will enable us to employ more people and support more patients across Hampshire. Employment Advisors provide skills-based interventions, information and practical support to assist people to gain employment; whose mental health may be impacting their confidence, self-esteem and ability in getting back into meaningful employment alongside our already well-established retention support provision.”

Photo JM.jpg“This additional funding for the Employment Service within italk is great news as it will enable us to employ more people and support more patients across Hampshire." 

Jo Moxham, Employment Advisor

Studies show that employment improves mental health by providing people with a sense of purpose, improving their self-esteem and helping them to achieve goals. Employment Advisors are a vital part of the current italk service, not only by enabling people to remain in, or find more suitable employment but also by providing practical support to patients alongside the psychological aspect of their treatment.

Anna*, who used the Employment Advisor service, called it ‘life changing’, adding:
“The Employment Adviser was such a supportive and kind adviser, and really listened to my concerns and tailored amazing advice to these. I felt fully supported through my illness in relation to how it was affecting work.”

The additional investment will also allow italk to expand the service to include unemployment support. In light of the current cost of living crisis this will be a much-needed provision.

“The Employment Adviser was such a supportive and kind adviser, and really listened to my concerns and tailored amazing advice to these. I felt fully supported through my illness in relation to how it was affecting work.”

Claire Murdoch, NHS national mental health director, said:    

The NHS is committed to keep doing its part to support those with mental health issues who want to work, and offering employment advice from experienced advisors through our Talking Therapies services across the country is a fantastic and important development, especially in times of economic challenges and increased need for mental health support.   

“We know that being in work has many benefits for our mental health and wellbeing, from increasing our sense of purpose to providing a structured routine, and while thousands of people already benefit from this ground-breaking service, this wider country-wide rollout means all people struggling with anxiety and depression will be able to access both our usual NHS Talking Therapies offer, via their GP or online registration to their local service, and expert employment advice, in all areas of the country.” 

The total funding made available for IAPT services across the UK is £122 million and it is estimated the funding will support 100,000 people managing their mental health issues to start, stay and succeed in work.

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