The local mental health charity, Mid and North East Essex Mind, is launching a new advice service to help people with mild to moderate mental health problems with employment issues.
New data has revealed that 14.7 per cent¹ of people experience mental health problems in the workplace and 12.7 per cent of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions.
This new service has been set-up in partnership with Therapy for You, who provide NHS Talking Therapies services, to offer support. Thanks to this new joined-up approach, people with mental health issues can also seek help with any issues they may be facing in the workplace.
Ginny Idehen, CEO, Mid and North East Essex Mind, explains: “Our new free advice service has been set-up as there are sadly poorer employment outcomes for people with mental health problems. We will work to empower our service users to make better decisions about their working lives, find employment or communicate better with their colleagues and managers at work.”
The employment advisors have been trained to offer support, information, advice and guidance. The team will help people find suitable employment, training or education, plus support anyone returning to the workplace following time off. Specialists will also be on-hand to improve working conditions, plus help people leave work and find more suitable, alternative opportunities, or retire from work.
The service is available for residents – aged 16 plus – living in Colchester, Manningtree, Harwich, Clacton-on-Sea, plus surrounding towns and villages. The service is available via self-referral to Therapy for You, which is part of NHS Talking Therapies. Simply call 01206 334001 or visit www.therapyforyou.co.uk.
The Employment Advice Service is supported by the DWP – Department for Work and Pensions and DoHSC Department of Health and Social Care.
