Research and analysis

Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies

These reports present the findings from 2 components of the employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies (EAs in IAPT) evaluation.

Documents

Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies: client research

Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies: client research

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Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies: evaluation of the impact of employment adviser support in Steps2Wellbeing IAPT (Southampton and Dorset)

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Details

Since June 2017, the cross-government Work and Health Unit has tripled the number of employment advisers (EAs) working in 40% of improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) services, following a recommendation by RAND Europe in the 2014 report Psychological Wellbeing and Work. Prior to this investment, a pilot study was carried out between 2009 and 2011 in 11 areas.

EAs in IAPT is a single service that brings together employment advice and support within IAPT provision. Therapists and EAs work collaboratively to deliver a personalised service to clients based on their individual needs. It supports people with common mental health conditions who are in work but struggling or facing difficulties in the workplace, off work sick or looking for work.

EAs in IAPT features in Work, health and disability: improving lives and Shaping future support: the health and disability green paper.

The commissioned evaluation included:

  • a qualitative process evaluation, which was published in 2019
  • a mixed methods client research report
  • an impact evaluation which used IAPT data linked with administrative data held by the Department for Work and Pensions

Client research

The client research explores:

  • the profile of EAs in IAPT clients
  • the experiences and longitudinal outcomes of these clients
  • the impact of seeing an EA

Outcomes explored include:

  • work-related
  • job search activity
  • well-being
  • wider health outcomes

Impact evaluation

The purpose of the impact evaluation is to measure the impact of seeing an EA as part of the IAPT service on clients’:

  • mental health
  • their daily functioning
  • their employment and benefit receipt

Updates to this page

Published 12 April 2022
Last updated 5 May 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added accessible version of: Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies: evaluation of the impact of employment adviser support in Steps2Wellbeing IAPT (Southampton and Dorset), research report 1014.

  2. Added accessible version of: 'Employment advisers in improving access to psychological therapies: client research' report 1013.

  3. First published.

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