New scheme to help mental health patients return to work

The government is to launch a number of new pilot schemes aimed at testing new ways of helping people with mental health conditions return to the world of work.

Four pilot areas – Blackpool, Greater Manchester, the North East Combined Authority and the West London Alliance – will receive funding of 12 million pounds to test whether better coordination of mental health and employment services could achieve this goal.

Several different approaches will be trialled, including empowering key workers and individual support packages to help claimants create bespoke action plans and coordinate existing local support services.

Meanwhile, support will be provided for new employees to make sure they can stay in work and cope with anxiety and other ongoing problems, while employment advisers and GPs will be trained to identify mental health problems and recognise the importance of work to improve mental health.

Norman Lamb, minister of state for care and support, said: "The new pilots will build on our existing work and help develop better links between health and employment services so that more people get the support they need."

This comes as part of a wider government drive to ensure mental and physical health are treated as an equal priority.