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<p>Good work is generally good for health. The Government therefore has a wide range
of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including
depression, bad nerves and anxiety, to start, stay and succeed in work. The Department
for Work and Pensions (DWP) works in lockstep with the Department of Health and Social
Care (DHSC) through our Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD), which
reports to both Secretaries of State. This was set up in 2015 in recognition of the
significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting
employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, with
a focus on building the evidence base for what works for whom.</p><p> </p><p>Based
on the evidence and delivered through the JWHD in partnership with DHSC, we provide
support to individuals and employers. Disabled people and people with health conditions
are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place,
at the right time, is key. Initiatives include:</p><ul><li><strong>Employment Advice
in NHS Talking Therapies</strong>, which combines psychological treatment and employment
support for people with mental health conditions;</li><li><strong>The Work and Health
Programme</strong> providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;</li><li><strong>Disability
Confident</strong> encouraging employers to think differently about disability and
health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face
in the workplace;</li><li><strong>A </strong><a href="https://www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/support-with-employee-health-and-disability"
target="_blank"><strong>digital information service for employers</strong></a> providing
better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the
workplace;</li><li>Increasing access to <strong>occupational health</strong>, including
the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the
self-employed;</li><li><strong>Additional Work Coach</strong> support programme that
provides disabled people and people with health conditions with increased tailored
work coach support to help them move towards and into work;</li><li><strong>Disability
Employment Advisers </strong>in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to
help disabled people and people with health conditions into work; and</li><li>The
<strong>Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC)</strong> programme,
a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings,
aimed at people with physical or common mental health conditions to support them to
access paid jobs in the open labour market.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Building on existing
provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced
a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023. This includes:</p><ul><li>Doubling
the number of places on the <strong>Universal Support</strong> employment programme,
to provide support for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out;</li><li>Formally
launching <strong>WorkWell,</strong> which will bring together the NHS, local authorities
and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work
and health support in approximately 15 pilot areas;</li><li>Building on the extension
of the certification of the <strong>fit notes</strong> to a wider range of healthcare
professions, exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with
timely access to work and health support; and</li><li>Establishing an expert group
to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health
provision.</li></ul>
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