Guidance

Access to Work live running memo LR17

Updated 17 December 2024

This publication has been withdrawn.

This memo is no longer current and is not being updated. It is published here for reference only.

1. This provider memo is about amendments to the Access to Work (AtW) Mental Health Support Services (MHSS) provider guidance.

2. The AtW MHSS provider guidance has been updated with a revised PRaP process to capture ATW MHSS Key Performance Indicators (KPI) 2,4 and 6. Accurately ensuring participants receive the best possible service from our providers and performance management activities are supported.

3. There are several changes throughout the guidance including:

• an update of Chapter 3 Support Plan, Monthly Update & Exit Report reason for rejection

• a Disengaged Customer section has been added and Handling of Sensitive Customer Referrals section extensively updated in Chapter 4

• an update of the ATW MHSS Support Plan Start, AtW 6 Month Report Outcome & AtW Exit Report Outcome section

• an updated Section 7 Complaints and Retention Documents.

Annex B and F have also been updated.

4.The latest updates to the guidance have now been published.

Table of amendments

Page or paragraph number	Title and contents	Amendments
1.05	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Paragraph amended to read, to receive AtW support, the following eligibility conditions must be satisfied.
1.07	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Paragraph amended to read, AtW MHSS provides flexible and personalised support for Customers experiencing mental health conditions and issues within the workplace.
1.08, Second sub bullet	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Paragraph amended to read, following this there will be a 3-month sustainment period. This is viewed as a light touch support period, during which the contractor can with the customer decide the extent of engagement, if any, with the customer.
1.16, Bullet 1	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Paragraph amended to read, contact the customer within 2 working days of receiving the PRaP Mental Health Support Service referrals or confirmation of eligibility from the AtW Adviser to initiate the workplace related mental health support, (1st working day is the date you receive the PRaP referral)
1.16, Bullet 16	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	First sentence of the paragraph amended to read, if the customer leaves their job, becomes long term sick due to an illness unrelated to the original AtW MHSS referral, e.g., an accident at work, ….
1.16, Bullet 17	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Paragraph amended to read, if the customer becomes long term sick due to their mental health issue or condition, you should continue to engage with the customer to maintain contact throughout the period of the referral to support the customer to overcome any barriers in the work place.
1.17 to 1.18	Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview	Some paragraphs have been deleted to avoid repetition.
3.02, Bullet 2	Chapter 3 Quality and Assurance	Paragraph amended to read, demonstrate a sound understanding of the breadth of mental health issues which may be experienced by Access to Work Customers and appropriate support options to address the Customer’s work place barriers
3.05, All bullets	Chapter 3 Quality and Assurance	Paragraph amended to read, Support Plans, Monthly Updates, 6 Month Reports or Exit Reports may be deemed as not meeting the specified standard and therefore rejected and returned for re-work if one or more of the following reasons applies. Please note all the bullet points have also been updated.
4.01	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	The 3rd Bullet has been deleted.
4.16, Bullet 5	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	Paragraph amended to read, Where you are unable to contact a direct referral customer within 2 working days of receiving the PRaP referral, you must contact the AtW Adviser on the second working day (if the AtW Adviser confirms that no further contact attempts are required, a No Contact can be input to PRaP).
4.22 to 4.36	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	Several paragraphs added to the provider guidance.
4.37	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	Paragraph amended to read, For the next 3 months/91 calendar-days (or 273 calendar-days from the date that you submitted the Support Plan to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Support Plan approval e-mail)), a light touch support is available if this is required by the customer.
4.38	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	Paragraph amended to read, At the end of the 3-month sustainment period (or 273 calendar-days from the date that you submitted the Support Plan to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Support Plan approval e-mail)), the MHSS Exit Report should be completed, Annex F, signed by the customer and sent to the AtW Adviser within 10 working-days of the end of the 3-month sustainment period.
4.53	Chapter 4 Referral, Start, Support Period and Leaver Process	Paragraph amended to read, Clerical payments will be made for Sensitive Customer Referral outcome payments as per SCR.
6.20	Chapter 6 The Provider Referral and Payments System	Paragraph amended to read, Chapter 6 of this guidance, should be used in conjunction with The PRaP Operational Support Team Guidance for AtW Mental Health Support. (Further information regarding the use of the PRaP system can be found within the on-line UPK guidance).
6.25, Bullet 1	Chapter 6 The Provider Referral and Payments System	Paragraph amended to read, date 1: the date the Support Plan was submitted to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Support Plan approval email).
6.27, Bullets 2 & 3	Chapter 6 The Provider Referral and Payments System	Paragraphs amended to read, date 1: the date the Support Plan was submitted to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Support Plan approval email). & date 2: the date you submitted the 6 Month Report to AtW Adviser, (as notified by the AtW Advisers in the 6 Month Report approval email).
6.29, Bullets 2 & 3	Chapter 6 The Provider Referral and Payments System	Paragraphs amended to read, date 1: the date the Support Plan was submitted to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Support Plan approval email). & date 2: the date you submitted the Exit Report to the AtW Adviser (as notified by the AtW Adviser in the Exit Report approval email).
7.01	Chapter 7 Complaints and Retention of Documents	Paragraph amended to read, You should submit your monthly MI by the 3rd working day of each month to your Performance Manager. Please also copy it to the SPOC (the AtW Contact Liaison Point) and any other agreed DWP contacts.
7.03	Chapter 7 Complaints and Retention of Documents	Paragraph amended to read, You should submit your yearly MI by the 3rd working day following the anniversary of the contract to your Performance Manager. Please also copy to the SPOC (the AtW Contract Liaison Point).
8.06	Chapter 8 Complaints and Document Retention	Paragraph amended to read, The Independent Case Examiner (ICE) will mediate between you and the customer to broker a resolution. If a resolution cannot be agreed between either party, ICE will ask to see the evidence. You must provide all the evidence which relate to the complaint. ICE will again attempt mediation between you and the customer (known as a ‘settlement’ if the evidence is needed to broker an agreement). If this cannot be achieved, ICE will undertake a full investigation of the complaint.
8.07	Chapter 8 Complaints and Document Retention	Paragraph amended to read, Please note that under normal circumstances, if a complaint is upheld against you at investigation stage, £5,000 is recovered from you to go towards funding the ICE service for provider complaints in the following year.

Further information and contact details

All enquiries on the subject of this memo should be raised with your Performance Manager in the first instance, they will endeavour to provide you with an answer as soon as possible.

Issued by: The Work Programme and Disability Employment Provision policy team, DWP