Thrive Into Work Official Launch

Thrive Into Work is a Randomised Control Trial which will be evidencing the impact of a new employment service designed to support people with long-term conditions into work. There are at least 125,000 people across the West Midlands who are out of work due to a disability, long-term condition or mental health issue. Despite wanting to work, finding and sustaining employment can be difficult for such individuals and employers often do not know how best to support them.

This is where the trial is hoping to make a difference. Each individual who is referred will be randomly placed into either the trial group or the control group. The control group will be offered information about other support services instead of the Thrive programme.
Those who are allocated the trial group will be offered an Independent Placement and Support based intervention which will include the following:

• One-to-one support tailored to their needs and employment goals
• Support in managing any difficulties and overcoming barriers to work
• Benefits advice
• Help finding and sustaining a job including continued support once they have started
• Support in talking to employers about specific needs

As a delivery partner for the programme, Health Exchange will be working specifically with individuals who have Type 2 diabetes.

On Thursday 5^th July, Health Exchange attended the launch event for the Thrive Into Work programme at Birmingham City Football Stadium. The event was attended by representatives of each of the partner organisations as well as Rt. Hon. Sarah Newton MP, Minister for Work and Pensions. The minister delivered a speech to mark the launch of the programme, in which she identified the importance of employment in individual’s wellbeing and the need for greater support for those with long-term conditions. She talked of her hope that the trial’s success would lead to a national rollout of the programme.

It was great to see the government’s commitment to supporting people with health conditions into work and promoting employment as a way of increasing inclusion and improving wellbeing. Health Exchange are incredibly excited to be a part of transforming employment outcomes for people with health conditions.

The trial is currently available to anyone 18+ who is registered with a GP in Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell or Wolverhampton, has a mental or physical health condition and would like to find work. To enrol onto the trial, contact us on 0121 663 0007 or email info@healthexchange.org.uk.