• Job Description

  Req#: C9346-25-0366?language=en&page=509&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  IPS stands for "Individual Placement and Support". It is an evidence-based approach to helping people with mental health conditions find and keep a paid job.

  Having a job can bring numerous benefits to people;routine, structure, identity, social opportunities, a purpose, as well as a wage or salary. We know having a job can help people with mental health conditions to recover.

  At present, only around 8% of people receiving support from secondary mental health services are in paid employment, while studies suggest almost 90% of people with serious and enduring mental health conditions want to work. The IPS Employment Team aims to provide the right support to help this happen.

  A new and exciting opportunity has arisen for a number of permanent Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment Assistants covering the following areas

  Durham

  Teesside

  The IPS Employment Assistant will be supporting the IPS Employment Specialist in working with people who have a mental illness and support them into competitive employment and then enabling them to retain that employment.

  Main duties of the job

  The IPS Employment Assistant will be supporting the IPS Employment Specialist in day to day IPS delivery in supporting clients with Job search, CV Development, Employment Applications, Interview support and supporting with designated electronic employment support programmes under the guidance and support of the IPS Employment Specialist.

  This will involve developing opportunities with local employers and partners and supporting them as well as the client, to ensure the right person is in the right job.

  About us

  We're committed to co-creating a great experience for our colleagues. This means listening to what staff are telling us and working together to be the best employer we can be.

  Our staff are our most important asset and recognising their excellent work and the vital contributions they make to patient care is very important.

  We have achieved the gold Investors in People (IIP) standard and have been commended on great people management practice and demonstrating a commitment to staff development.

  We are signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme. This means we have to demonstrate that we're taking positive action to attract, recruit and retain disabled people

  We have an award-winning system for delivering efficiency through clinician-led quality improvements.

  All staff who join us are provided with a comprehensive induction programme, starting on their first day of employment.

  Continuous professional development is important to us. Once you're comfortable in your new role, you and your manager will work collaboratively to form a Personal Development Plan (PDP), your personal career aspirations are taken into account and the trust will provide you with the resources you need to develop.

  It's important our staff are able to raise concerns about patient safety and let us know when we need to improve services. We have a number of ways people can do this.

  Date posted

  11 March 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 3

  Salary

  £24,071 to £25,674 a year per annum

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time

  Reference number

  346-CORP-025-25

  Job locations

  Durham and Teesside

  Flatts Lane

  Middlesbrough

  TS6 0SZ

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  The successful applicants will provide support to the IPS Employment Specialist in monitoring support systems for clients throughout their IPS journey.

  This will include supporting the IPS Employment Specialist in providing in work support to clients.

  The successful candidate will be dynamic and motivated, with excellent communication skills to enable you to support the IPS Employment Specialist in working/engaging effectively with a wide range of partner agencies and employers, clients and sometimes their families. Innovation and determination are key to the success of this role.

  The successful candidate needs to demonstrate a commitment to employment and social inclusion.

  IPS supervision and clinical support from community mental health team members will be offered on a regular basis with ongoing training and development opportunities relevant to the post.

  Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  The successful applicants will provide support to the IPS Employment Specialist in monitoring support systems for clients throughout their IPS journey.

  This will include supporting the IPS Employment Specialist in providing in work support to clients.

  The successful candidate will be dynamic and motivated, with excellent communication skills to enable you to support the IPS Employment Specialist in working/engaging effectively with a wide range of partner agencies and employers, clients and sometimes their families. Innovation and determination are key to the success of this role.

  The successful candidate needs to demonstrate a commitment to employment and social inclusion.

  IPS supervision and clinical support from community mental health team members will be offered on a regular basis with ongoing training and development opportunities relevant to the post.

  Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Numeracy and Literacy level 2 (or above) or must be achieved within 12 months.
  • Level 3 information, advice, and guidance or must be achieved within 18 months of commencement in post.
  • Care Certificate must be achieved within 12 weeks of commencement in post

  Desirable

  • Evidence of additional qualifications relevant to role.
  • Previous experience working in employment support.
  • Previous experience of working/supporting people with mental health problems, learning disability and/or autism.

  Skills

  Essential

  • Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service
  • Ability to deliver IPS support interventions competently
  • Ability to communicate information (verbal and written) effectively in a manner appropriate to the individual and situation
  • Adherence to Trust record keeping standards
  • Ability to adapt IPS interventions using own initiative within own scope of practice under guidance of IPS employment specialist
  • Ability to plan and organise a given caseload and prioritise effectively
  • Fully compliant with statutory and mandatory training
  • Completion of CfMH "Doing what works" IPS training (or equivalent)
  • Ability to use employment related platforms/software packages
  • Demonstrate IPS and service specific competencies

  Desirable

  • Can meet physical requirements of the role, with reasonable adjustments as needed
  • Ability to lead a group session

  Personal Attributes

  Essential

  • Awareness of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
  • Ability to relate to the needs of the patient group
  • Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers
  • Ability to work on own in a variety of settings using initiative appropriately
  • Ability to work under pressure in a rapidly changing environment
  • Able to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team
  • Committed to continual quality and service improvement
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities and autism
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of IPS and the Trust
  • Self-awareness and committed to continual personal development

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Numeracy and Literacy level 2 (or above) or must be achieved within 12 months.
  • Level 3 information, advice, and guidance or must be achieved within 18 months of commencement in post.
  • Care Certificate must be achieved within 12 weeks of commencement in post

  Desirable

  • Evidence of additional qualifications relevant to role.
  • Previous experience working in employment support.
  • Previous experience of working/supporting people with mental health problems, learning disability and/or autism.

  Skills

  Essential

  • Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service
  • Ability to deliver IPS support interventions competently
  • Ability to communicate information (verbal and written) effectively in a manner appropriate to the individual and situation
  • Adherence to Trust record keeping standards
  • Ability to adapt IPS interventions using own initiative within own scope of practice under guidance of IPS employment specialist
  • Ability to plan and organise a given caseload and prioritise effectively
  • Fully compliant with statutory and mandatory training
  • Completion of CfMH "Doing what works" IPS training (or equivalent)
  • Ability to use employment related platforms/software packages
  • Demonstrate IPS and service specific competencies

  Desirable

  • Can meet physical requirements of the role, with reasonable adjustments as needed
  • Ability to lead a group session

  Personal Attributes

  Essential

  • Awareness of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
  • Ability to relate to the needs of the patient group
  • Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers
  • Ability to work on own in a variety of settings using initiative appropriately
  • Ability to work under pressure in a rapidly changing environment
  • Able to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team
  • Committed to continual quality and service improvement
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities and autism
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of IPS and the Trust
  • Self-awareness and committed to continual personal development

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Additional information

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Durham and Teesside

  Flatts Lane

  Middlesbrough

  TS6 0SZ

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Durham and Teesside

  Flatts Lane

  Middlesbrough

  TS6 0SZ

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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