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Job summary

Main area
Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
18 months (Fixed Term Contract)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
285-7970-CORP
Employer
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Bushey Fields Hospital
Town
Dudley
Salary
£31,049 - £37,796 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
13/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo

IPS Vocational Specialist

NHS AfC: Band 5

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is growing and changing. We provide specialist mental health, learning disability and community services across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and we’re hiring people who want to shape what comes next.

Formed on 1 April 2020 through the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, we’re now focused on the future with a new Trust Strategy and our Best for the Black Country programme.

What we do

·       Adult and older adult mental health

·       Children and young people’s mental health

·       Specialist learning disability services

·       Community healthcare for children, young people and families in Dudley

Why join now

·       We’ve got real momentum right now. New strategy, clear priorities and our Best for the Black Country work mean things are moving in the right way, fast.

·       Our values aren’t just posters. People are genuinely compassionate, take responsibility, treat you with respect and help you feel confident and empowered.

·       You’ll be looked after. Flexible working, family-friendly policies, supportive teams, proper wellbeing support and chances to learn with coaching and development.

·       There’s room to grow. Loads of services to explore and real space to try ideas and be heard.

·       It’s a good place to live. Friendly diverse communities, easy transport, good schools and colleges, shopping, food, lots to do, plenty of green space and a lower cost of living than many other city regions.

What it’s like to work here

You’ll join friendly, skilled teams who look out for each other. We plan together, share caseload pressures, and celebrate wins. New starters get a warm welcome and clear induction; early careers colleagues have preceptorship and buddying; experienced staff can lead, teach and innovate. You’ll have space to do good work, speak up, and see the difference you make.

Who we are

We’re 4,000+ colleagues from many backgrounds, committed to improving health and wellbeing for our communities and for each other. If you’re excited about the role but don’t tick every box, please apply. We value potential and transferable experience.

Job overview

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting 1 WTE Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Vocational Specialists to be based across our Secondary Care Mental Health Services. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a established team who provide specialist provision to our SMI service users. This role will support the national ambition of increasing access to IPS Employment Services as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The role will support service users in the Black Country and will form an integral part of individuals’ recovery and care plans by working collaboratively with clinicians, service users, families and employers.  The successful candidate will support a caseload of individuals who have experienced severe and enduring mental health problems who are unemployed.  

Main duties of the job

Main Duties/Responsibilities - 

To manage a caseload of clients who have experienced severe and enduring mental health problems.
To carry out a vocational assessments, to identify vocational needs and develop action plans in agreement with the individual.
To maintain detailed and accurate case notes, action plans and client paperwork and upload these on to the management information system within the allocated timeframe.
To provide information, advice guidance & support to individuals about the pathways of opportunities available to them to gain and sustain work.
To support individuals to gain accurate benefits advice, complete paid job applications, compile CVs and to practically prepare for interviews.
To liaise and arrange meetings with health professionals, partner agencies (voluntary and statutory sectors) and/or employers concerning the individual’s needs, including partner organisations that work with diverse groups to develop joint working that will enhance service delivery and increase opportunities for individuals.
To deliver training and workshops (as required) to clients on job applications, CV writing and interview skills to increase their chances of moving into employment.

Working for our organisation

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

  • Adult and older adult mental health services
  • Specialist learning disability services
  • CAMHS

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, after NHS England and NHS Improvement approved the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.

We currently employ over 3,000 members of staff and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose -

To manage a caseload of people with severe and enduring mental health problems who require employment support; using the Individual Placement and Support approach to gain benefits advice, overcome barriers to work, developing close relationships with clinical teams and completing rapid job search. The post holder will work to the IPS model and will adhere to the Fidelity Scale ensuring that the service operates as close to the 25 principles as possible.

Person specification

Person Specification

Essential criteria
  • Able to build and maintain strong working relationships
  • Experience of supporting people with mental health problems into work and knowledge of the barriers faced
  • Working knowledge of the IPS model and ability to evidence high Fidelity practice
  • Good report writing skills
  • Ability to evidence initiative and proactivity

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident leaderCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Bronze Award

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Chris Boult
Job title
IPS Team Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07557 178663
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