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Market Vision

​To increase the opportunities for individuals with Mental Health needs to gain and retain employment (Individual Placement Support)​

Expand the existing offer into primary care settings​

Key aims/objectives:​

  • Adults with diagnosed MH conditions are supported to gain employment​
  • Adults are supported to manage/retain their employment during an episode of poor mental health​
  • Employers are engaged to support employees to manage their MH and remain in employment​
  • Promote employment as a social determinant to support recovery.

1 Year Delivery Plan by end of 2025

Description: ​

Implementation of the IPSPC (Individual Placement Support in Primary Care) Grant fund from DWP​

A redesign of the previous IPS service, implemented and created as a single service to reduce overheads and deliver efficiencies, for supporting support individuals with Serious Mental Illness. 

Key Milestones:​

  • Key Decision IPSPC June 2025
  • IPSPC service commences 1st September 2025​
  • 35 employment specialists recruited and 1,224 people supported by September 2026

 

3 Year Delivery Plan by end of 2028

Description:​

IPS and IPSPC contracts end 2028.  

Key Milestones:​

  • December 2024 Initial discussions complete, and initial options scoped​
  • Funding agreed ​
  • April 2024 Options paper​
  • July to Oct 2025 Governance​
  • April 2025 to June 2025 Tender process​
  • Feb 2025 to end May 2025 Mobilisation​
  • Oct 2026 Review first year of delivery​

 

7 Year Delivery Plan by 2030​

Description:​

We should begin to see a shift and focus into employment support for people primarily with mild to moderate needs to have better outcomes that suits their recovery and wellbeing. ​

In Essex we are seeing a trend downwards in the number of people with mild to moderate mental health needs and physical needs out of work. 

​

Workforce recruitment

  • Recruit the right number of employment specialists to deliver the IPS and IPSPC by April 2026

Capacity and demand management

  • Through monthly reporting from the provider, track referrals and waiting lists

Putting lived experience at the centre

  • People with lived experience of mental health issues and of the employment service will be involved in service improvements

Delivering good quality services

  • Annual Fidelity reviews through IPS Grow

Promoting Financial Sustainability

  • Using IPSPC test and learn, establish levels of need to inform future commissioning
  • Engage with NHSE and DWIP to understand priorities for future funding

Integration with Health

  • The funding for the IPS service comes via the ICBs with ECC commissioning the service on their behalf. ECC contributes to the retention element of the service
  • The ICBs are actively engaged in the development and improvement of the service

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion

  • Use the monitoring data to ensure the equal access for groups identified in the Equalities Act 2010, and groups can be targeted

Climate and Environment

  • Use Teams as much as possible for meetings
  • Explore use of public transport for meetings and supporting individuals when seeking work
Last updated: 21/05/2025
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