The Government contract, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is estimated at £4.8 million and Remploy has been appointed to deliver all of the seven available contracts to deliver Access to Work's mental health provision, spanning England, Wales and Scotland.
This new service will assist more than 1,600 people with mental health conditions to stay in employment.
One in six people in the UK suffer from a mental health condition at any one time. This equates to 70 million working days lost every year due to mental ill health, according to mental health charity Mind. In addition to this, staff turnover as a result of employees leaving their jobs due to mental ill health costs £2.4 billion
Remploy's in work support starting today is completely impartial and confidential, comes at no cost to either employer or employee, can be delivered with or without the support of the employer and is delivered by experts who truly understand mental health.
The service will provide a wide range of support for people with mental health conditions for a period of six months and will include:
- A work focused counselling service or other tailored work focused mental health support for the individual
- Provision of a personalised action plan and exit report
- Employer education
- Assessing an individual's needs and identifying coping strategies
- Identifying reasonable adjustments within the workplace or within the confines of working practice
Beth Carruthers, Remploy's director of employment services, said: "If you are absent from work, or are finding work difficult due to a mental health condition, Remploy can now support you to address your issues and remain in, or return to, your role.
"We are experts in this field and have been delivering a similar 'in work' support package for more four years.
"Creating a mentally healthy and open workplace where employees feel supported enough to discuss their mental health condition will help employers to reduce costs, improve commitment and satisfaction amongst employees, while creating an inclusive and diverse workforce."
Seperately, G4S, is partnering with Remploy in a baton relay to raise awareness of mental illness. The initial baton exchange took place this month with Ian Fereday, partnership manager at Remploy, handing the baton to Valerie Dale, HR director at G4S Secure Solutions (UK).
The first phase of the relay will then commence in January 2012 with the baton being passed each month between G4S's business units in several regions across Britain to help promote greater commitment to diversity and inclusion for disabled people in the work place.
The baton exchanges will be held in Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Coventry, Cardiff, Slough and London between January and July 2012 in front of potential employees, identified by Remploy, as well as clients.
Dale said: "With 2012 just around the corner, the baton exchange is a fun way to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion amongst our businesses all over the UK, as well as providing a unique insight into the work our employees do regardless of their disabilities, and how we support them with the guidance of Remploy."
Ian Fereday, partnership manager at Remploy, added: "G4S is a shining example of a business which is placing diversity at the top of its agenda. Since working with us G4S has provided more than 150 jobs for our clients."
The final exchange in the relay will return the G4S baton to the company in London during July 2012.
