IPS Mental Health & Employment Support Evaluation v2.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examining the effect of Individual Placement and Support for those receiving mental health support on health and employment outcomes.
IRAS ID
196352
Contact name
Michael Sanders
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Behavioural Insights Team
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN71067067
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 9 days
Research summary
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is a vocational rehabilitation intervention for people with severe mental disabilities (Becker & Drake 1994). IPS is based on a synthesis of key principles of supported employment, including close integration between the employment services and the mental health treatment teams; and ongoing, individualised support after clients obtain employment (Bond et al., 2007). Studies have shown IPS to have a positive impact on health related outcome measures, such as lower incidence of hospitalisation (e.g. Bond et al., 1997) and employment. We note employment as it has repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on mental health (e.g. Clark et al., 2001). It has yet to be evaluated at scale in the UK. This RCT will compare mental health treatment as usual (IAPT) to IAPT plus IPS, an integrated mental health and employment service.
Individuals will be referred primarily through their GP, Job Centre Plus or an IAPT service. They will contact a 'Single Point of Access' where they will be informed of the purpose and process of the study. Here, they will provide consent, check their eligibility, complete a brief survey and provide their contact details. They will then be randomly allocated to receive IAPT (treatment as usual) or IAPT plus IPS. Those in the IAPT plus IPS group will, in addition to their mental health treatment, work with an employment specialist to search for employment and to sustain the employment once placed. The relationship typically lasts a number of months.
3 and 6 months after randomisation, outcome measures collected by the NHS and Dep. of Work and Pensions will be used to observe the impact of the programme on the participants. 6-9 months after randomisation participants will be followed up by IAPT clinician and contacted to complete an additional short survey on their health and well-being.REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/2158
Date of REC Opinion
5 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion