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Mental health patients to get job coach visits

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The DWP is to send work coaches onto mental health wards to assist with CV writing and interview preparation, the BBC has revealed.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall praised trials in Leicester and Maudsley hospital in London, which offered employment support to people with serious mental health conditions, including in-patients.

 "The results of getting people into work have been dramatic, and the evidence clearly shows that it is better for their mental health," Kendall said.

"We really need to focus on putting those employment advisers into our mental health services. It is better for people. It is better for the economy. We just have to think in a different way."

However, according to Kendall, people using jobcentres may be much less likely to encounter those same employment advisers.  Instead, they will benefit from “more personalised support using AI” whilst only people “who really need it” will get face-to-face support.

Kendall also urged employers to “think differently” about employees with mental health conditions.

You can read the full BBC article here.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Anon
    · 1 months ago
    Wash not was
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Anon
    · 1 months ago
    I’m starting to lose faith in the Labour Party as a socialist movement; if they are cruel with changes to the WCA in relation to the mentally ill then I was my hands of them for good.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sadly Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @Rik When they did so, I doubt they were "fully cognisant" of the process or the subsequent fall out ... this was just meted out to third parties and so-called "healthcare" professionals (said with a touch sarcasm, given my last interview).

      It has taken several years of the WCA experiment to measure the result.

      We now have the data.

      There is always going to be an assessment in place, before money is handed over, but I can't conceive, within this moment, how given the lack of resources available for medical services in general, how this will ever be a fair system, capable of embracing and facilitating the complexities of each individual client being assessed.

      The current system is clearly overwhelmed, due to the amount of people "signed off" at this time.

      I don't know what they will be able to practically achieve over the next few years, given the amount of new clients to process and those who are due for a reassessment.

      Each staff member working in the system who deals directly with assessments, on average will work for 2700+ hours a year (give or take) and how much of that time will be consumed by assessments and how long does the average assessment take? Well that varies, but they probably have to allow at least an hour for each client when analysing medical grounds for a claim (paper work, consultation with other departments and so on, travel, lunch etc.) ...

      There will have to be an increase in staff, across the board, to really push in the direction the government want, to meet the goal of 450'000 work ready clients over the next 4 years.




    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Rik
      · 1 months ago
      @Anon Labour introduced the WCA! The have never been friends of disabled people.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    ws
    · 1 months ago
    look what happend in nottingham last year.

    did kendal not see/her news.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    philip
    · 1 months ago
    Thinking about this announcement a bit more I wonder if it's political mind games.
    You say you are going to do something previously unheard of, in order to make it politically more acceptable to do what you are really aiming to do. In this case reduce payments to people with MH problems but who are NOT in hospital. So those of us with MH issues are politically "softened" shall we say, as targets. Clever but not so clever that we can't see through it.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      bonesticks
      · 1 months ago
      @bonesticks autocorrect changed pmhp to pump!!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      bonesticks
      · 1 months ago
      @philip I agree in that it's a way to make an announcement which sounds helpful to people who know nothing about the reality of the situation

      1. only a minority of people with mental health problems (pmhp) are actually in relevant hospital wards (of which there are too few)
      2. the pump in those few wards are mostly not likely to be receptive to employment advice due to their condition, hospital wards are generally reserved for acute cases who cannot be treated "in the community" 
      3. most people who are not working because mental health issues prevent them are "in the community

      so the whole job could probably be coveted by 2 people - an easy target to achieve but completely  pointless! but much cheaper than improving mental health services, which they don't have the funds for
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro
      · 1 months ago
      @philip I agree with you, and also one could say the same for physical disabled people, if you think about it.  The DWP / goverment could easily seek out the least physical medical problems, and destroy their already shattered lives.

      It's obvious something is laying in wait with labour.  But what "! we don;t really know yet.

      I like many other will be biting their nails, waiting to see what may arise on 30th Oct 2024 / autumn budget (labours budget NUMBER ONE)
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Yup
    · 1 months ago
    Regarding UC Reviews. If you dont have a camera. What happens when they ask for a selfie with your ID? I can't seem to find much information on this. Will we be forced to go to the jobcentre to have a picture? 

    It just concerns me how all these extra changes will affect us. On ESA you are left alone, but UC. It seems theres lots of extra stuff we will have to do.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA
    · 1 months ago
    I just saw that my post was not fully printed I'll try again ...........

    I believe the planned changes, such as placing DWP coaches in mental health wards, could be incredibly dangerous. Many of us in the disability and mental health communities feel increasingly trapped and traumatized by the current system. Some individuals are so deeply disenfranchised that their frustration could escalate to dangerous extremes, especially if they feel they have no way out. While many of us manage our emotions, not everyone has the same capacity for self-control or access to the support they need, which could have serious consequences for society.

    Moreover, introducing DWP coaches into hospital departments could deter people with severe mental health or physical health issues from seeking necessary care. The fear of having their vulnerabilities exploited or being pushed into work-related activity assessments could prevent people from addressing their health needs. The government needs to understand the potential risks they are creating, pushing vulnerable people further away from the support and care they deserve.


    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sadly Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @CaroA To be honest, and in my experience, a lot of the "support" has gone at a community level and you are right, for an individual like me (ASD+PDA) - these proposals are not exactly inviting.

      I don't quite know what would help though... I have thought long and hard about this, for my own problems, and ideally, there would have to be an "opt in" centre where I live, where I could come and go with a greater sense of liberty; this would take away the "having to set times/dates panic" and allow me to slowly tip toe toward greater socialisation and eventual productivity.

      Although as we know, it's a two edged sword, as often, when we try voluntary work at the moment this can work against us.

      I volunteered at a local Foodbank for a while until I had a shoulder injury and when this was mentioned during a review, it worked against me and there was no discussion about the issues I had when I was volunteering, including restlessness, heightened anxiety and occasional mental burnout.

      It was a case of - well, if you can do that, you can do this ...

      I just don't think there are any easy answers unfortunately.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    DJMH15
    · 1 months ago
    People are sectioned only as a last resort, and when they are considered a threat to either themselves, or to others. 
    Who wouldn’t want to employ them?

    Whilst sectioned I have witnessed people banging their heads repeatedly on tables, people turning blue after trying to hang theselves with a plastic carrier bag, people  with blood on their pyjamas due to being unable to care for personal hygiene, people being restrained, people being watched by five members of staff day an night because they keep trying to kill themselves…..
    The tv is on all the time, loud. The wards are airless because the windows only open an inch. There is no access to outside and people are fed terrible food. They are malnourished, tired, often delusional and hallucinating. Alsways medicated up to the eye balls.

    Just unbelievable.
    Yet again stigmatising mental illness as something minor.
    I assume there will be parity of esteem, and people on life support will be similarly harassed?

    What is wrong with these people? Are they deliberately doing it, or are they really that stupid. Or both?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Aw
      · 1 months ago
      @DJMH15 Oh yes please let's see the equivalent. How about "DWP advisors to talk to stage 4 cancer patients to encourage them back to work while they receive chemotherapy, terminal diagnoses will no longer be a barrier to work" wonder how well that would be received...
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Lill
    · 1 months ago
    Certain people are not allowed on the mental health wards some patients are not even allowed visitors this Kendal women can't touch anyone with a high risk assessment either patients who are not safe to work will not be forced she'd break the law she's telling the media what she thinks she'll get away with but she's got no idea what she's talking about there's people high up in the NHS that can say no and they will she'll get stopped with this idea even if she's done a scheme with 2 hospitals doesn't mean they'll work across the country there's no employer who will take on the severe mentally ill they'll take on people who have been free of symptoms for so long but not the ones who haven't recovered also Kendal forgot about the outpatients with severe mental health some have home appointments she's got this idea that every person stays in hospital some severe mental health patients see a psychiatric nurse at home alot as a hospital is not good for some  patients who have a family and children at home  she's going for the onesize fits all to try get everyone off disability not going to happen also there's cabinet ministers going over reeves head before the budget to try stop the benefit cuts the pip voucher thing isn't going through I think Liz Kendalls plans will flop aswell the white paper for get Britain working again will get altered one way or another if it includes what she told the media as there's loads of organisations and people in parliament who will put it right she's not in charge of the law she's got no right to break the law it will not be allowed she'd get in trouble for misconduct i think it's called
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    AJ
    · 1 months ago
    Any doctor who sees this happening will end up putting a stop to this as well as the General Medical Council due to the damage they will cause to the treatment of a patient in a physiatrist ward no less! I am seriously wondering if Liz Kendall herself is mentally unhinged for coming up with such a bizarre plan as this! She should be committed and sectioned under the mental act herself 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sadly Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @AJ Yep - I think a better way for them to reach out, would be to a family member - offer sympathy and contact details for family to reach out to the DWP for advise and support, if the patient, at any point in the future, is in a better place and wants to "try" work within a supportive environment without punitive measures in place if it doesn't work out.

      But of course this would mean the system would have to embrace a more enlightened "way" and embrace love and compassion as virtues to be pursued.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    C
    · 1 months ago
    Until we all write reasons for leaving previous employment:

    Suicide Attempt
    Psychotic Breakdown 
    Nervous Breakdown
    Mental Exhaustion
    Physical Exhaustion
    Severe Anxiety and Panic Attacks

    Yeah come help me write a CV!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sadly Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @C I refuse to lie about health issues on a future CV, if an employer wants me to join the workforce, there needs to be facilitation, this would be fair on both contracting parties.

      I wouldn't necessarily mention suicidal ideation, but would give them key descriptors like ASD & PDA. If they want to discuss co-morbidity, that would be up to them.

      Prejudice in the workplace toward us is real - a member of my step-family is Autistic and she has had horrendous problems in the office this past year when one young woman targeted and bullied her. This was eventually escalated to the managerial level and the response was reasonable, but also ineffective, as the bullying continued after a few short weeks. She ended up working from home, but still has to go into the office from time to time. The support she requires is minimal compared to some, but I don't personally believe she should be working in that environment and it doesn't seem to "embolden her" as the propaganda would have us believe.

      No easy answer - but the current system sucks and the proposals sound naive.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Brian
    · 1 months ago
    I know everyone is getting whipped up, it's the norm these days. As long as policy isn't punitive for those who can't, there is nothing wrong with offering support. We need to wait and see how it's applied. That's been the issue for the last decade plus. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sadly Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @Aw "Relationships with staff who are seen as authority figures are difficult enough without them being seen to team up with the DWP, an organisation who are literally an existential threat to people reliant on social security."

      Just bumping this comment.

      I have horrendous problems in this regard. Partially down to Autism (socialisation in general) - but I also had an abandoning mother and father when I was a teenager and have never managed to escape the feeling the situation fostered.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sam
      · 1 months ago
      @Brian I think that the issue is no one here with any experience of the DWP, even while labour are in charge has any trust in the system. Hard to give benefit of the doubt with our lived experience 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      welshval
      · 1 months ago
      @Aw Agree Aw- so insensitive to blithely dismiss our concerns
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Dee white
      · 1 months ago
      @Aw This is going to push so many over the edge,  I've been admitted to a psychotic ward for suicide attempts and mental breakdowns . This to me is one step closer to the edge of no return .
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Aw
      · 1 months ago
      @Brian Please don't comment if you don't understand basic psychology. Most people in MH wards have severe trust issues, many from historic abuse. Relationships with staff who are seen as authority figures are difficult enough without them being seen to team up with the DWP, an organisation who are literally an existential threat to people reliant on socia security. This could result in people completely disengaging from care, absconding from open wards and so on. It's a very very bad plan.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ryan
    · 1 months ago
    Liz Kendall wants people with mental health problems in employment. But what if in the mental health ward the patient is still suffering from their symptoms psychosis caused by either Schizophrenia, Scizoaffective disorder or Bipolar disorder (Type one, type two, cyclothymia or Bipolar NOS) ? That's before we even consider their depressive, manic mixed state or hypomania episodes caused by their disabilities. (A large majority of the patients in a psychiatrist ward in a hospital ward will have these diagnosis').  

    How can a possible potential employee patient that is currently detainted against their will in hosptal that are being treated for either delusions and hallucinations. 

    Thats before we even mention patients with other mental health conditions; severe depression causing suicide ideation, eating disorders etc. How can any mental health patient be even well enough to be even interviewed by an employer let alone be employed by them?

    And even when they are well they could soon also relapse again in the future without warning. Something I am sure employers would not want to take this risk.

    This part of the so called reform under "Get Britain Working" is highly flawed by this to be even considered by the Labour government. let alone this Bill even being passsed in Parliament all readings etc before the House of Lords and then given Royal assent by the King.



    Perhaps Liz Kendall could personally visit some patients herself at any Psychiatric ward or any NHS mental health hospital across in the UK to see if they are even well enough to even speak to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    cw12
    · 1 months ago
    people that are already admitted onto mental health wards are at a crisis point, vulnerable, some on mental health sections  for treatment or because they are a risk to themselves or others.   how disgusting that the labour will take advantage of people who are in unwell to the point of needing inpatient care. its not the place or time. there have been too many deaths caused by goverment policies and the way dwp treat people with mental illness.  makes me sick that they get away with this.  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    MJ
    · 1 months ago
    This has to been of the most outrageous proposals I've come across. Why the media aren't all over this I don't know. I have been in a mental health ward in the past and if a work coach from the job centre came to visit me, I think I'd been prone to jumping out the window to be frank!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Annie
    · 1 months ago
    Firstly, the NHS is opening itself up to liability by conflating psychiatric units with DWP Job centres. Job coaching is nowhere in the function of locked or voluntary psychiatric units - unless this is an alternative funding stream. Where is the peer reviewed published article? Where is the open source data?

    Secondly, it is EXCEPTIONALLY difficult to get a bed in a psychiatric unit. There are different types of units but they ate ONLY for those who are seriously unwell and at risk of harming themselves or others. Kendall either thinks serious mental illness is worried well syndrome OR she is looking for a mechanism to get DWP officers onto psychiatric units to report on patients who are claiming ESA but not reported that they are in hospital.  Is it 2 weeks you get before you have to report you are in hospital and then they pause all of your benefits?

    The Royal College of Psychiatrists has to protest this. 

    Perhaps Kendall would like to offer a full time job in her office to my BiL who has had schizophrenia for 30+ years. I notice that her, Mel Stride, Sunak, Starmer, who make these threats never want to place any of these slackers with schizophrenia in their own offices.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      rtbcpart2
      · 1 months ago
      @Annie Esa doesn't stop in hospital. Pip stops after four weeks, housing benefit after 52 weeks.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sadly Simon
    · 1 months ago
    An interesting video was posted on the channel "Moon" today on YouTube called "Men Are Slowly Giving Up, And Nobody Cares" - I think we could extend this idea beyond merely men checking out, but a very interesting video none the less and does highlight more foundational elements across the cultural landscape in Great Britain and elsewhere that feed into the disaffection many now feel and why parts of the male population have given up.

    We are so painfully atomised - it is no wonder depression is on the rise.

    Until those who deem themselves "fit" to take the lead embrace the deep rooted systemic rot we are experiencing culturally, there is barely a flicker of light on the horizon at this time.

    This extends beyond our own struggles in the disability community and taps into the very essence of why collectively we are foundering.

    Does anybody else feel as though they are suffocating?

    Anyway, enough doom scrolling for the day :)
     

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    FRAZ
    · 1 months ago
    Basically the GOVERNMENT( LIEBOUR) and the last squad SELF SERVATIVES............. dont want to give you a dime, couldnt care less about you and they actually want to design a system that wants you to give up your claim by hammering you into the ground so you dont get a penny piece!   But they just cause even more Problems, cause mayhem to peoples lives with worry etc and squander more money on these dangerous new ideas thought up by clowns. No Employer will touch this......... HEALTH & SAFETY, CLAIMS ISSUES
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    philip
    · 1 months ago
    This is just asking for trouble it really is. DWP bods in any hospital is mad. But a Mental Hozzie ? No
    What's the matter with trained MH Occupational Therapists ? Oh yes, they might help people claim the benefits they are entitled to. Silly me.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Old Mother
      · 1 months ago
      @philip Agree / OH therapists would be far more effective and honest in their intention. 

      But there is a shortage of this profession.  Something the government could tackle, but perhaps less headline worthy. 

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Rik
    · 1 months ago
    "Multiple Cabinet ministers have formally written to Keir Starmer expressing alarm about the cuts they’re being asked to make in the one-year spending review at the budget" - Bloomberg UK

    Buckle up. This isn't going to be a easy ride!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    SW
    · 1 months ago
    no employer will take the risk.

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