The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has launched an advisory service for staff and employers dealing with redundancy.

The service, which the CMI is calling Dr Redundancy, will offer support to those facing job loss, as well as providing information to employers looking to adapt their business to change brought about by redundancy programmes.

The service will provide tips to help people find jobs, career advice, a job search helpline, a legal advice helpline as well as research.

Visitors to the website will be able to post questions to Dr Redundancy and become part of a network of people in a similar situation.

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of the CMI, said: "Redundancy can have a negative impact on your confidence and self-belief, but it is very important people don't take it personally.

"We need skilled individuals to get back out into the job market quickly, or we risk a possible skills drain or prolonged recession."