Jobcentres: Mental Health Services

(asked on 26th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps will be taken under the pilot scheme to co-locate mental health advisors in job centres to ensure that claimants enter into psychological therapy voluntarily.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 3rd April 2019

To help claimants with mental health conditions access the support they need we have been working in partnership with the NHS and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

Work Coaches based at Milton Keynes Jobcentre are now able to make direct referrals to the local IAPT service. Following a referral, the initial assessment of needs takes place within the Jobcentre in a private interview room and is completed by the IAPT Assessor, a qualified Work Psychologist. Claimants can elect to have the assessment take place at an alternative venue other than the Jobcentre should they choose.

The initial assessment is a gateway to the IAPT service and claimants will continue to receive support through the IAPT programme where appropriate. Participation is completely voluntary and claimants are able to withdraw at any stage of the process.

Reticulating Splines