This contract marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to transforming the lives of individuals with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) through the proven Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model.

NHS England’s ongoing investment in IPS highlights their dedication to expanding access to IPS services, with a trajectory of supporting an additional 140,000 people by 2028/29. The IPS model, which focuses on helping individuals with Severe Mental Illness secure and maintain high-quality employment, is recognised as the leading evidence-based approach in this field. This commitment highlights the importance of providing people with the support they need to secure high-quality employment that reflects their skills and aspirations – a key factor in promoting recovery and improving mental health. With this contract, we are empowered to further our efforts, ensuring that more people with SMI receive the necessary support to reach their employment goals through access to high quality IPS services. We are grateful to our partners and stakeholders for their ongoing collaboration and the vital role they have played in achieving this outcome.

A Bold Vision for the Future

The coming years represent a pivotal moment for IPS, with several key initiatives set to shape our path forward and better support IPS services nationwide:

  • Workforce Expansion: We are committed to doubling the number of Employment Specialists across England by 2028/29, reaching over 1,800 dedicated professionals. To achieve this, we will be recruiting regionally embedded workforce leads and launching a Level 3 accredited qualification and apprenticeship framework for IPS Employment Specialists, in partnership with Centre for Mental Health and the Institute of Employability Professionals. This initiative is focused on ensuring that the IPS workforce is equipped, recognised, and empowered to deliver high-quality support.
  • Continued High-Fidelity Support and Quality Improvement: Our commitment to maintaining the highest standards in IPS services remains unwavering. Our expanded team of IPS Grow Leads and Support Leads will continue to deliver tailored support packages, helping services across England to scale effectively whilst achieving better job outcomes for clients. Quality improvement will remain at the forefront as we strive to enhance the impact of IPS services nationwide.
  • Enhanced Data Tools: We are investing in the IPS Grow Reporting Tool, which will provide real-time data insights to drive performance and demonstrate impact. This tool will be a cornerstone in refining service delivery, enabling evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.

Looking Ahead:

IPS services provide life-changing employment support to more than 30,000 people with severe mental illness each year. This new investment will enable Social Finance to scale these services further, more than doubling the number of people with SMI who are helped to find the employment opportunities they desire and deserve. We thank NHS England for this backing and look forward to working with the IPS community to make it a success.

Niall O’Reilly, Director of IPS Grow at Social Finance

To kick off this next phase, we will be hosting a national webinar in October, where we will outline our enhanced support for the sector. We encourage you to join us as we discuss how we can work together to create a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to discuss how our ongoing work can support you and your service, please reach out to Niall O’Reilly.