Access to Work

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Union reps should consider signposting members with mental health problems to the government-funded Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, which offers free, confidential help on workplace adjustments. Access to Work is widely known for helping employees with physical disabilities but also provides help to those with mental health problems.

Delivered by disability and work specialist Remploy, the service helps workers with depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health issues that affect their work. Specialist advisors offer:

• tailored work-focused mental health support for nine months;

• suitable coping strategies;

• a support plan to keep them in, or return to, work;

• ideas for workplace adjustments to help them fulfil their role; and

• practical advice to support those with a mental health condition.

Remploy says the service has “supported over 12,000 people across Britain, with a 93% success rate of people retaining their employment after six months”.

More information and contact details are available on the Remploy website.

https://www.remploy.co.uk/about-us/current-programmes/access-work-mental-health-support-service