More than 100,000 mental health sufferers will be helped back to work in £122million mentor scheme
MORE than 100,000 mental health sufferers will be helped back to work in a £122million mentor scheme.
To mark today’s World Mental Health Day, ministers will unveil support for people suffering from depression and anxiety.
Therapists and job advisers will help them find work tailored to conditions - with 700 specialists to be hired by 2024.
Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith said: “Giving people the support they need to work is very good for their long-term health.”
NHS England’s Therapists and Employment Adviser scheme is to be rolled out across the country.
Access to “NHS talking therapies” services can be made by a GP or self-referral.
READ MORE ON MENTAL HEALTH
Deputy PM Thérèse Coffey, added: “Offering employment support to people under the care of NHS mental health services will help them start, stay and succeed in work.”
1 in 6 need help to return to work
Work and Pensions Minister Claire Coutinho tells The Sun: “Every week, at least one in six of us has problems with our mental health which can affect our ability to work just as much as poor physical health can."
"That’s why we are investing £122 million so everyone using NHS mental health services in England will have access to Employment Advisers."
"Working with NHS therapists, these advisers will provide even more people with compassionate and tailored support to help them stay in or return to their job quicker, with the right support in place.
"Work provides people with purpose, a stake in their community and valuable social interaction – we must ensure everyone has equal access to this opportunity, including during periods of mental ill-health.
