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  3. Individual Placement and Support Employment Service

Service : Individual Placement and Support Employment Service

  • Service overview
  • Accessing our service
  • Support in work, and finding work
  • Contact us and FAQs
  • Related services
  • External links

Service overview

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment service can help you find and retain paid work if you have a severe or significant mental health condition and you’re being supported by any of our mental health services.

People with severe mental health issues face huge barriers when it comes to employment. Most would like to have paid work, but only eight per cent achieve it.

We know that having a job can play a big part in building your self-confidence and independence, and that living with a significant mental health condition shouldn’t stop you from doing the things you want to do.

How we’re helping people

For 10 years, we have supported 824 people get into work, with an average of over 80 new service users supported into paid employment each year.

Accessing our service

You can contact our service if you’re 18 or above, have a serious or significant mental health condition and you’re being supported by any of our mental health services.

You can ask your named mental health worker to arrange a referral to us, or you can contact us directly.

Support in work, and finding work

If we can accept your referral, one of our employment specialists will contact you.

We will arrange to meet with you in the community wherever you feel most comfortable, such as libraries, cafes, or your local job centre.

We’ll talk more about our service, and how we may be able to help.

If you’re looking for work

If you’re currently unemployed and interested in working, we can help you find a paid job as close to your work preferences as possible.

We can also support you in your journey back into work, for as long as you need, such as:

  • helping you understand any changes to your benefits that working may cause
  • working closely with your health teams to make sure you’re getting the support you need
  • talking with your employer to make sure you’re adjusting to your new work/life balance

If you’re in work

We can also support you if you’re currently in work and struggling because of your mental health, by:

  • acting as a trusted liaison between you and your employer
  • working with your employer to make reasonable adjustments to suit your needs, or discuss redeployment
  • creating a return-to-work plan with you
  • helping you manage your personal information so you can decide when and how you want to talk about your mental health
Patient appointment

Your e-Health Passport

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Contact us and FAQs

Berkshire

Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Email: ips.referrals@berkshire.nhs.uk

Frequently asked questions

How can I refer to this service?

You can contact our service if you’re 18 or above, have a serious or significant mental health condition and you’re being supported by any of our mental health services.

You can ask your named mental health worker to arrange a referral to us, or you can contact us directly.

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.  

  • Find out more
How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

  • Telephone interpreting
  • Video remote interpreting (VRI)
  • Face‑to‑face interpreting
  • Written translation
  • British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
  • Learn more
How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs.

Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) – a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers – we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

  • British Sign Language (BSL)
  • Large print
  • Braille
  • Audio
  • Easy read
  • Email
  • Text message
  • Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

  • Learn more
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

What does it mean to treat our team with respect?

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.

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Related services

Talking Therapies

  • Adults

A free and confidential service offering effective treatment for common mental health problems such as low mood, stress or worry.

Talking Therapies: Go to service

External links

National Careers Service

Free and impartial careers advice to anyone aged 13+, no matter what stage of the careers journey you’re at.

  • Visit National Careers Service

Centre for Mental Health

CMH publish mental health research, economic analysis, and policy ideas to promote improve support for those needing mental health support

  • Visit Centre for Mental Health website

Job centre

Contact your local job centre to see what support is available to help you find work. 

  • Visit Job centre website

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Learn about the support that is available and key information around benefits. 

  • Visit DWP website

ACAS

Acas gives employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice.

  • Visit ACAS website
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