The Regional Employment Team (RET) was set up in response to the Social Exclusion Task Force report and action plan, ‘Reaching Out' (Cabinet Office, Sept. 2006).
‘Reaching Out' set out recommendations to improve employment opportunities for people with mental health problems, for the benefit of those individuals, their employers and the region's economy. Action 23 of ‘Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion' (Cabinet Office, 2006) included the following commitment to build on:
"...current guidance and legislation, the Government will develop dedicated regional teams to provide further support for the implementation of good practice around the employment of those with severe mental health problems."
In the East of England this team comprises representatives from strategic regional agencies covering employment, learning and skills, enterprise, economic development, benefits, health and partners from the private and voluntary sectors. This includes people who have experience of mental health problems and various provider services and employers, who are invited to inform the work of the RET by contributing their perspectives and experiences (see the list of partner agencies).
The role of the RET is to:
- Provide leadership and direction and establish a relevant and coherent focus for this work;
- Create links, alignments and flexibilities within existing strategies, and influence strategies that are being developed;
- Champion the strategy, and challenge agencies and communities to ensure the delivery of effective interventions and programmes at regional and local levels;
- Determine the critical success factors for the RET's work, ensuring that its programmes and interventions are aligned to existing performance frameworks and delivery mechanisms;
- Ensure the region responds effectively to and delivers on the related national performance targets and Public Service Agreements (Communities and Local Government, 2007);
- Influence positive cultural change in the workplace to promote mental health and wellbeing and reduce stigma and discrimination.
In September 2007 a Regional Summit was held to bring together the key regional agencies to explore what action was needed to support people with mental health problems to gain and/or retain employment and what action was required to support both employers and employees. Twenty eight partners attended the Summit including representation from the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP).
Key issues to emerging from the Summit were:
- Commissioning arrangements
- Service user pathways
- Training for intermediaries
- Support and resources for employers (particularly small and medium size employers) and employees
- Mental health awareness training, NHS behaviour and responding to service user's aspirations.
In order to develop the Statement of Priorities and Action Plan for the East of England it was agreed to hold further meetings and from these four key themes emerged:
- Employer Engagement
- Commissioning
- Vocational Services
- Corporate Responsibility and Exemplar Employers
To explore the emerging themes two workshops were held in February 2008 and additional partners were invited to attend to inform the outcomes. These outcomes have been incorporated into this Statement of Priorities and Action
Plan and the implementation phase will be undertaken between March 2008 and August 2009.