No Health without Mental Health - implementation framework
Submitted by Huw on Wed, 25/07/2012 - 18:00
The Department of Health has published an implementation framework for No Health without Mental Health. The Mental health implementation framework sets out what employers, schools, businesses, local authorities, housing organisations, voluntary groups and health and care organisations can do to promote good mental health, whether it’s clinical commissioning groups appointing mental health leads, schools developing awareness programmes to help staff recognise pupils at risk, or employers supporting the mental health of their workforce.
One of the ambitions of the strategy is that people with mental health problems have a better experience of employment:
• Employers promote mentally healthy workplaces for all, and tackle the causes of mental ill health at work.
• Employment support organisations use effective approaches to help people with mental health problems to find and keep work.
• Services work together to support people with mental health problems to maintain, or return to, employment.
The report recommends that Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme providers can:
• Contribute to JSNA, JHWS and commissioning processes.
• Jobcentre Plus Advisers can use mental health resources including the mental health adviser toolkit and the Hidden Impairments toolkit.
• Jobcentre Plus Mental Health and Wellbeing Partnership Managers can work with Advisers to develop their knowledge and confidence in addressing mental health issues.
• Jobcentre Plus can ensure that individuals with poor mental health have access to Disability Employment Advisers, who can refer them to specialist programmes such as Access to Work mental health support services, Work Choice, and Residential Training.
• Work Programme providers can take steps to implement the joint pledge on work and mental wellbeing.
It says that employers can:
• Assess the impact of mental health problems on their workforce, what this means for their business, and take action accordingly.
• Take advantage of support available through Access to Work.
• Use the occupational health advice service,
• Provide evidence-based mental health training for managers.
• Make use of the Management Standards for Work Related Stress developed by the Health and Safety Executive.
• Use suicide awareness and education or training programmes
• Join the Mindful Employer scheme
• Sign up to the Time to Change campaign
• Join the Responsibility Deal Health at Work Network
And it says that Government is giving people with mental health problems a better experience of employment in the following ways:
• Access to Work will be marketed so that under-represented groups, such as those with mental health problems, are better able to participate.
• Continuing to enhance the mental health and employment knowledge and confidence of DWP Operations staff.
• Continuing to promote the joint pledge on work and mental wellbeing which strives to support people with mental health conditions to work, and is jointly endorsed by Work Programme Prime providers, specialist services providers, and voluntary and community organisations. The Government’s Work Programme supports people who are out of work to gain and sustain paid employment.
• Advice for employers on workplace adjustments for mental health problems to help employers think through the kinds of adjustments which they can make for people with mental health problems. They include practical advice and links to other resources.
