Ips in Primary Care Employment Specialist

EPUT is very excited and proud to be expanding our portfolio of Employment Support services working with Essex County Council who have been successful in securing new funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This funding will help those across Essex with mental and physical health needs achieve and retain good quality paid work. This builds on a long track record and reputation at EPUT for helping to make a difference to people’s lives through promoting sustainable employment that improves mental and physical health and brings wider community benefits.

The new service is called IPS in Primary Care and the main focus is to work alongside primary and community healthcare providers who will be the main referrers into the service and deliver high quality support to help those referred to gain and sustain in paid employment.

Would you like an opportunity to help people who have mental and/or physical health needs to find meaningful and sustainable work? Do you currently work or have experience in health or social care, recruitment, employment or education services? If you have transferable skills to enable people to find and sustain employment, this is an excellent opportunity to join our team of Employment Specialists.

We are seeking individuals who are person centred and positive in their outlook, have a ‘can do’ attitude and enjoy the challenges of helping people to overcome any barriers to finding work. You must have strong communication skills and confidence in order to build up relationships with all relevant stakeholders including local employers and businesses. You will be required to directly engage with a range of stakeholders (e.g. DWP, Job Centre +, voluntary organisations, training providers etc.) but especially local employers in order to create opportunities for service users and to challenge stigma and discrimination that can at times be associated with mental and physical health needs and employment. You will also be meeting and working with individuals and organisations in their local community

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

You will work in partnership with multi-disciplinary Mental and Physical Health Teams in Primary Care health providers and will be expected to ‘champion the employment agenda’, instilling the belief that people with mental and/or physical health needs want to work and with the right support can work; and therefore generating referrals to the service. You will work in partnership with individual service users, developing relationships that are enabling and empowering. You will be providing an evidence based supported employment service (called Individual Placement and Support/IPS) which will require you to prepare individuals for employment by assessing needs; identifying strengths, help with benefits, support networks, travel to work plans etc.

You will work to individual targets, i.e. number of referrals and those accessing the service, the number of people supported into employment, and the number of Employers engaged with. You will be skilled in managing your own time and working with a high level of autonomy; responsible to the Team Leader via regular supervision and support and accountable to the Vocational Manager. You will promote best practice within mental health and employment in the Trust and other organisations in the local area.