A new Employment Advice (EA) service has been rapidly developed and launched within Primary Care Mental Health (PCMH) in Leeds, strengthening the support available to people whose mental health and employment challenges are closely linked.
Delivered by us and funded through the NHS Accelerator Programme, the pilot builds on the success of our longstanding EA offer within Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS) Talking Therapies. For the first time, this tailored employment support has been embedded directly within PCMH teams, responding to a long‑identified gap in provision.
Meeting a clear need
PCMH teams regularly highlighted the value of having integrated employment support alongside mental health care. When the funding became available, this created an opportunity to design and implement a new service at pace, ensuring clients could access practical, specialist employment advice alongside their mental health support.
The pilot aligns closely with our wider strategic aims of improving mental health outcomes, supporting people to find and retain employment, and providing joined‑up, in‑house support.
A collaborative and integrated approach
Developed through close partnership working, we collaborated with Inspire North, Touchstone and Leeds Community Healthcare (LCH) NHS Trust to design a fully integrated offer.
From the outset, the focus was on creating a service that felt fully embedded within PCMH. This meant clearly defining the service remit and inclusion criteria, establishing effective referral pathways, and integrating EA practitioners into existing PCMH systems and processes.
Working closely with LCH’s data team, the service also developed a new screening tool and service template, aligned to reporting requirements.
By building on existing internal expertise and infrastructure, the team was able to move quickly from concept to delivery. Dan and Ellen, two experienced EA practitioners, were recruited internally, enabling rapid mobilisation while retaining valuable organisational knowledge.
The service launched in September 2025, following just four months of development after funding was confirmed.
Early impact and engagement
Since launch, the service has seen strong demand and engagement. By the end of January 2026, 125 referrals had been received, averaging around 25 each month, highlighting how quickly the service became embedded across teams.
While outcome measurement continues to develop, early activity includes CV development, job applications, interview preparation, roles started or retained, and onward signposting to additional support.
Client experience
Feedback from people using the service highlights the importance of compassionate, tailored employment support delivered at the right time. One of our clients said: “The employment advisor has been great helping me update my CV and prepare for some potential interview questions for future purpose. She’s been kind and understanding of my awful circumstances, primarily rooted in my career loss and current immigration barrier.”
Learning and looking ahead
The pilot has highlighted what can be achieved through strong partnership working, early engagement with stakeholders and clear, consistent communication.
With funding now secured for a further year, attention is turning to tracking demand and outcomes, and demonstrating the value of integrated employment support within PCMH. This learning will inform ongoing service development and longer‑term sustainability.
