Information for service users

Work Well teams provide a one-to-one employment coaching service for people who want help to find or sustain work.

Our employment coaches provide support tailored especially to their clients' wants and needs.

We are experienced helping people achieve a range of employment goals, including:

• Finding a new job while out of work
• Finding a job without any qualifications or experience
• Returning to work after a period of sickness
• Making a career change
• Resolving workplace issues
• Setting up a business or working freelance
• Leaving a workplace that is negatively affecting your mental health and finding alternative employment

This will depend on the team you are receiving support from.

Find out more information about our teams

Most service users receiving support from a South London and Maudsley mental health treatment team or NHS Talking Therapies service are eligible for support from one of our teams.

Find out what services are available in your borough

If you are not eligible for any of our teams, we are happy to help find another service that can support you. Please contact WorkWell@slam.nhs.uk

Find out to how to refer yourself to one of our services

Yes, our services are voluntary. We only work with service users who want support to find or stay in work as part of their recovery journey.

Absolutely. We are dedicated to supporting anyone who wants to find or stay in work, regardless of where you are in your recovery journey.

It’s understandable to have concerns about entering or returning to the workforce after a period of ill health.

Our employment coaches are here to help you navigate any challenges you may be facing. They will listen carefully to your concerns and work with you to create a personalised plan that will address your specific needs and worries.

Some of the common concerns we deal with include:

• Worrying about your health: You may be concerned that you are not well enough to work or work may be too stressful. We can help you assess your readiness and find a role that suits your health needs. We can also support employers to find reasonable adjustments that make it easier for you to work.
• Uncertainty about career path: If you’re unsure about what type of job or career you want, we can help you explore your interests and strengths to find the perfect match for you.
• Employment gaps: You may be worried about difficulties due to gaps in your employment history. We can help you to address these in applications and present your skills and experience to employers confidently.
• Lack of qualifications and experience: Even without any formal qualifications or experience, you may be surprised at how many transferable skills you have from your life experiences. We can help you identify these and find opportunities for training and skill development.
• Stigma and discrimination: We know stigma and discrimination is sadly a reality for some people in the workplace. We help clients to find workplaces that are committed to supporting people with mental health conditions. We also support people to take action against employers who treat them unfairly
• Medication and work: You may be concerned about taking medication at work or experiencing side effects. We work closely with clinicians to find solutions whenever problems arise.
• Benefits and housing: It’s understandable to be worried about the impact employment may have on your benefits or housing situation. We provide guidance and signpost to other services to make sure no one is worse off by finding work.

We work closely with clinicians and therapists to make sure the support you receive from your employment team is aligned with the rest of your mental health care. We believe employment can play a key role in your recovery journey, and can be a part of getting better, not just a result of it.

No. We will never share your health information with anyone or contact an employer unless you ask us to.

We understand that sharing health information is a personal decision. Your employment coach will help you to weigh up the pros and cons of this so you can make an informed decision that suits you.

Employment support services are integrated within mental health services across the UK. Access to quality employment support is a recognised health outcome within the NHS Long Term Plan and NHS Trusts consider employment support an essential part of mental health treatment. 

Research has shown that periods of unemployment and poor work environments can be damaging to our mental health. At the same time, high quality jobs with supportive employers have been proven to positively impact our well-being.

The evidence is clear that employment support plays a key role in the recovery journey of service users who want to find and sustain work. 

There are some occasions where we are unable to provide support to service users. We want to make sure you still get the support you deserve.

Our free employment courses in collaboration with the SLaM Recovery College are open to anyone with a connection to South London and Maudsley. There are a range of courses on different employment focused topics. Click here to find out more.

There may be other organisations local to you that provide free employment support. Find out more.

If you aren’t sure who to contact, you can email WorkWell@slam.nhs.uk for help finding other support.