Individual Placement and Support Service
The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is a free, confidential service available to anyone aged 18 + with a serious mental health condition who is looking for work or is currently working that needs extra help because of this.
It is delivered by two organisations in Manchester, Salford and Wigan: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) and The Growth Company.
Whichever organisation you choose to help you, you can either be referred by your care coordinator based with one of the Community Mental Health Teams or you can access the service on your own, as a self-referral.
The main criteria for both services are the same. You are feeling job ready, you are interested in moving into employment or if you are currently working, you want to access some extra support to help to deal with issues relating to your mental health that are affecting your ability to work effectively.
To make an enquiry or referral to the local service, contact the relevant Employment Specialist for your area or ask your care coordinator to help you do this.
IPS Employment Specialists help service users to find and remain in employment. They offer help in preparing for work and engage with both the employer and employee to provide ongoing support.
This supported employment model has been extensively researched and found to be effective at achieving integrated community employment for people with mental health problems.
IPS is based on eight simple, evidence-based principles:
- It aims to get people into competitive employment - volunteering or sheltered work are not counted as outcome
- It is open to all who want to work - with no exclusions based on diagnosis, health condition or benefits claim
- It tries to find jobs consistent with people’s preferences
- It works quickly - job search starts within four weeks, even if a client has been off work for years
- It brings employment specialists into clinical teams - so that employment becomes a core part of mental health treatment and recovery
- Employment Specialists develop relationships with employers based on a person’s work preferences - not based on who happens to have jobs going
- It provides ongoing, individual centred support for the person and their employer - helping people to keep their jobs at difficult times
- Benefits counselling is included - so no one is made worse off by participating
Many people who participate in supported employment services are almost three times more likely to find employment than those who engage in other types of vocational programmes.
The central focus is about finding you competitive and sustainable employment. We do this through adopting a ‘jobs first’ approach which is incredibly successful, rather than people being in the never-ending cycle of work preparation.
Employment Specialists work with any service users who are currently supported by Community Mental Health Teams and have had an inpatient admission or have been supported by the Crisis Resolution Team within the previous six months. It is a flexible and sensitive service that fits around the individual and matches their strengths and needs.
Joanne's story
Joanne, one of our service users, is just one of the people to benefit from the service so far. After discussing her wish to get back into work with her Community Psychiatric Nurse, Joanne was referred to the team's Employment Specialist who used the Mental Health Outcome Recovery star to talk through her situation and where she wanted to be in terms of finding a job. They then developed an action plan together and the Employment Specialist helped Joanne to find jobs that were suited to her work history and aspirations.
Joanne decided that working part time would be the best way to ease back into work life and so through regular meetings the Employment Specialist helped her to explore job vacancies through Job Centre Plus and other employment websites. Eventually they identified one position that suited Joanne in terms of job description, location and number of hours.
The Employment Specialist arranged a meeting with the Disability Employment Adviser at the local Job Centre for support with in-work benefit calculations and completing a permitted work form with a supporting letter from the Employment Specialist.
After ten weeks engaging with the IPS service, Joanne was successful at securing a post as a receptionist and she stays in touch with her Employment Specialist who provides in work support.
How to contact your Employment Specialist team
| GMMH | The Growth Company |
| Tom Martin (Team Manager) Phone: 07587 883025 Email: thomas.martin@gmmh.nhs.uk |
Rochelle Seddon (Head of IPS) Phone: 0161 240 1851 Email: rochelle.seddon@gcemployment.uk |
| Rita Moloney (North Manchester residents) Phone: 07587 137453 Email: rita.moloney@gmmh.nhs.uk |
Lara Leckey (Manchester residents) Phone: 0161 240 1851 Email: lara.leckey@gcemployment.uk |
| Zena Evans (South Manchester residents) Phone: 07587 842 0926 Email: zena.evans@gmmh.nhs.uk |
Rachael McNally (Salford & Wigan residents) Phone: 0161 240 1851 Email: rachael.mcnally@gcemployment.uk |
As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.
Find resources for carers and service users Contact the Trust