The team recently won Community Partnership of the Year at the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Awards. The awards recognise the hard work, innovation and unstinting determination to help people - many among the most disadvantaged in the country - into worthwhile employment.

The IPS service was launched during the pandemic, in September 2020. The employment specialists support individuals aged from 16 to 69, to help get them into work, while they are managing and living with severe mental illness, which could include conditions such as schizophrenia, personality disorder or psychosis.

The model of employment support on offer is unique as the IPS teams are co-located with the mental health teams, so they become part of a wider service. The team are striving for a culture change so that clinical staff think about employment for patients much earlier than normal resulting in employment becoming part of the treatment journey, as opposed to the destination.

The award was accepted by Mairi Fraser, Manager of the IPS Service at Blackpool Council, and Vicki Sherrington the Early Intervention Service Manager at LSCFT.

Mairi said: 

In addition to the team’s award, Darren Jones, Team Manager at Blackpool Council’s Positive Steps into Work Service, was also awarded Highly Commended for Frontline Manager of the Year.