Quality standard
Quality statement 8: Supported employment programmes
Quality statement 8: Supported employment programmes
Quality statement
Adults with bipolar disorder who currently work, and those who wish to find or return to work, receive supported employment programmes.
Rationale
Although employment rates for adults with bipolar disorder are higher than for people with other severe mental health problems, bipolar disorder frequently leads to workplace underperformance, absenteeism and decline in occupational status. There are also particular risks for some people with bipolar disorder when they undertake shift work. Supported employment programmes can help adults with bipolar disorder stay in employment or move to another job, and identify employment opportunities for those who wish to find work.
Quality measures
The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured and can be adapted and used flexibly.
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that adults with bipolar disorder who currently work, and those who wish to find or return to work, receive supported employment programmes.
Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from local referral pathways to supported employment programmes.
Process
a) Proportion of adults with bipolar disorder who currently work who receive supported employment programmes.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who receive a supported employment programme.
Denominator – the number of adults with bipolar disorder who currently work.
Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.
b) Proportion of adults with bipolar disorder who wish to find or return to work who receive supported employment programmes.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who receive a supported employment programme.
Denominator – the number of adults with bipolar disorder who wish to find or return to work.
Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.
Outcome
Employment rates among adults with bipolar disorder.
Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records. National data are collected in the NHS Digital Mental health and learning disabilities data set but are not specific for adults with bipolar disorder.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (such as GP practices, community health services and mental health services) ensure that systems are in place for adults with bipolar disorder who currently work, and those who wish to find or return to work, to be offered supported employment programmes.
Health and social care practitioners ensure that they are aware of local referral pathways for supported employment programmes, and offer these to adults with bipolar disorder who currently work or who wish to find or return to work.
Commissioners ensure that they commission services that offer supported employment programmes, and referral pathways for these programmes, for adults with bipolar disorder who currently work or who wish to find or return to work.
Adults with bipolar disorder who work or wish to find or return to work receive a place on an employment scheme (also called a supported employment programme) that helps them to stay in their current job, or to find or return to work quickly.
Source guidance
Bipolar disorder: assessment and management. NICE guideline CG185 (2014, updated 2023), recommendation 1.9.6
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Supported employment programmes
Supported employment programmes provide support to people with disabilities or other disadvantaged groups to secure and maintain paid employment in the open labour market. [Expert opinion based on European Union of Supported Employment definition]
Equality and diversity considerations
Services should work in partnership with local stakeholders, including those representing minority ethnic groups, to enable adults with bipolar disorder to stay in work or education or find new employment, volunteering and educational opportunities.
Services should make reasonable adjustments (see the Health and Safety Executive's Health and safety for disabled people at work) to help adults with bipolar disorder stay in work or education, or find new employment, volunteering and educational opportunities.
Some adults may be unable to work or unsuccessful in finding employment. Other occupational or education activities should be considered for these adults, including pre‑vocational training.