Helping people who experience mental health issues to stay in work, or return to work following a period of absence.

What does the service offer?

The employment retention service in the Black Country can help support people who are currently in employment and accessing secondary mental health services by providing advice and support to clients to help them retain their jobs.

· Help you understand your rights and employment law.

· Open conversations with your employers to discuss your mental health if you consent to this.

· Discuss reasonable adjustments.

· Attend workplace meetings.

· Negotiate and support return to work plans.

· Advice on how to leave with dignity if too unwell.

Who is eligible for the service?

Anyone under secondary care can be referred to the employment retention service. By secondary care, we mean:

· Specialist services provided to support individuals with their mental health examples include: hospitals such as (Penn, Bushey Fields, Dorothy Pattison, Hallam Street etc.)

· Individuals under the care of a psychiatrist, psychologist or a care co-ordinator such as a community psychiatric nurse or an occupational therapist.

Contact details 

Tel: 01922 607808

Email: bchft.employmentretentionservice@nhs.net

Website: https://www.blackcountryjobsupport.com/

The IPS Employment Service provides support across the Black Country to individuals who wish to enter some form of paid employment (part or full-time) or those who wish to change their employment to better suit their needs.

Who can access this service?

We support individuals who are open to secondary care mental health services in the Black Country. This applies to anyone who is under the care of a psychiatrist and may have a care co-ordinator such as a community psychiatric nurse or an occupational therapist.

How can the service help you? 

Our vocational specialists will provide you with 1:1 support to achieve your job goal. We can help you identify the job you want, search and apply for jobs, offer guidance, and support you in your place of work.

Who to contact for more information

Dudley Team

07826 890696

bchft.dudley.employmentservices@nhs.net

Sandwell Team

07557 178671

bchft.sandwellemploymentsupport@nhs.net

Walsall Team

07766 925212

bhcft.walsall.employmentservice@nhs.net

Wolverhampton Team

07557 178764

bchft.wolverhampton.employmentsupport@nhs.net

What happens to next?

Once we receive your details, we will arrange to contact you and complete an initial assessment in relation to the support you need. A vocational specialist will then contact you regularly and support you to achieve your goals.

Thrive into Work

Do you have a health condition and would like support to find and retain employment?

The thrive into work team can offer one to one support to suit your needs and employment goals. The team covers the Dudley and Walsall areas and can not only support those individuals that are out of work, but can also support those who are in work but are at risk of losing their job or are on a period of sick leave.

The service is for people with a mental/physical health condition, who are registered with a GP in Dudley or Walsall and are aged 18+ at the time of referral.

If you want to join the Thrive into Work service, you will get:

• One-to-one support to suit your needs and employment goals
• Support from your health care team to help you manage any difficulties
• Advice on benefits to find out if being in work could increase your income
• Help with finding a job if you are not in paid employment
• Continued support once you have started in a job
• Help talking to your employer about your needs at work
• Regular and ongoing support online or by phone

 You can get this support if:

• You are currently out of work, or at risk of leaving work due to sickness
• You are aged 18 or over
• You have problems finding work, or staying in a job, because of your health. This can be your physical health or your mental health.
• You are registered with a GP in Dudley or Walsall

For more information please contact the team on:

Phone: 01384 324645

Email: bchft.thriveemploymentservice@nhs.net

If you would like to make a referral to the service, click here. 

Thrive into Work Neurodiversity Service offers employment support to people with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism or ADHD. The team also supports those who are in work but are at risk of losing their job or are on a period of sick leave.

You can receive this support if:

• You are out of work and want to work OR are on a period of sick leave or at risk of losing your job
• You have a neurodevelopmental condition such as autism  or ADHD
• You are aged 18+ at the time of referral

If you want to join the Thrive into Work service, you will get:

• One-to-one support to suit your needs and employment goals
• Support from your health care team to help you manage any difficulties
• Advice on benefits to find out if being in work could increase your income
• Help with finding a job if you are not in paid employment
• Continued support once you have started in a job
• Help talking to your employer about your needs at work
• Regular and ongoing support online or by phone

For more information please contact the team on:

Phone: 01384 324645

Email: bchft.thriveemploymentservice@nhs.net

If you would like to make a referral to the service, click here.