Over 334 people have found work, and many more given the vital skills they need to help them get back into work thanks to a pioneering mental health support service in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
The Step On Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service is delivered jointly by North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership Foundation NHS Trust and has supported 1,062 clients since it was launched in April 2019.
Neil Carr OBE, Senior Responsible Officer for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System’s (ICS) Workforce Programme and Chief Executive of Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The success of the Step On service is a fantastic example of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System (ICS) partners working together to improve the health and outcomes of people in the area.
“At the December ICS Board meeting we heard a presentation from Joy Barnfield, one of the people who had been supported by the service, and her first-hand account of her experiences and how the Step On service has helped her was truly moving and inspirational.”
Anyone receiving secondary mental health services can be referred to Step On by their care coordinator, or they can contact Step On directly for more information.
Jennifer Hawkins, Step On Team Manager, said: “Step On IPS service supports anyone who wants to work and is involved in secondary mental health services in Staffordshire. We work with people on a one-to-one basis so we can get to know clients and understand their barriers to employment.
“We then tailor support to meet clients’ needs whether it be building their confidence, helping them to write a CV, or practising their interview skills. We aim to help clients move on with their lives.”
Patients in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire can email Stepon@combined.nhs.uk or call 07515 191219.
Patients in South Staffordshire can email stepon@mpft.nhs.uk or call 07773 177967.
For more information about the Step On IPS service, and to hear from someone the team has helped, watch the video at https://youtu.be/cKwPwkSZWrs.
