'Exemplary' rating for Blackpool Council service helping people with mental health secure jobs
Blackpool Council’s supported employment service has been rated ‘Exemplary’, one of the highest in the country, for helping people with severe mental health conditions secure jobs.
The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service, delivered across Lancashire and South Cumbria, provides personalised support for people to secure or maintain employment while managing conditions such as schizophrenia, personality disorders or psychosis.
The IPS Central and West Lancashire team was praised for “demonstrating exemplary practice”, with outstanding feedback from clinical colleagues, service users and employers.
Reviewers described the service as “life-changing work” and “a real beacon of hope.”
Since its launch in 2020, the service has helped more than 800 people secure jobs across sectors including engineering, plumbing and animal care, and expects to have supported more than 1,000 successful job starts by early next year.
One client said: “Two years ago I never thought I would get a job. I never thought I would work again.
“They [IPS] have been amazing and I wouldn’t be where I am now without them.”
The IPS service forms part of Blackpool Council’s Positive Steps into Work programme, which helps unemployed people find work and supports local businesses with recruitment.
Funded by the Integrated Care Board (ICB), the IPS teams work alongside NHS and community mental health professionals to provide person-centred support.
Carolyn Watkins, Programme Manager for Mental Health Transformation at the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, said: “Blackpool Council’s IPS team achieving such a high score in the recent Central and West IPS Fidelity Review is a fantastic testament to doing the right things, in the right way, every day.
“When services stay truly faithful to the IPS model that is person‑centred, rapid job search, and employer‑focused, people with severe mental illness can secure or sustain better jobs, and we see the benefits ripple across families and communities. This success reflects strong collaboration across local partners.”
Councillor Jo Farrell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing at Blackpool Council, added: “We are all so proud of the team and the service.
“This outstanding review recognises their hard work and unstinting determination and commitment to help people dealing with mental health issues benefit from employment opportunities.
“The results are really impressive and it is so good to hear all the positive feedback and praise that clients using the service have for the teams.”
The IPS service accepts self-referrals or professional referrals with the client’s consent.
For more information, contact 01253 477300 or email [email protected]