Individual placement and support (IPS) for people with severe mental health problems

ISRCTN ISRCTN18240558
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN18240558
Secondary identifying numbers 10017
Submission date
04/08/2011
Registration date
27/09/2011
Last edited
19/01/2018
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Having a job is important to a person’s identity and self-esteem. People who are unemployed are more likely to suffer from a wide range of mental and physical ill health as a consequence. It is widely recognised that people with severe mental health problems (such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) benefit socially, psychologically and economically from being employed. Government policy is geared towards encouraging people into work, and in recent years some of the barriers in the benefits system have been overcome. We have also learned about the most effective ways to support people with severe mental health problems who wish to work. An approach called Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is recommended by Department of Health guidelines. However, employment rates remain low, in Nottinghamshire no higher than 15%. Traditional vocational rehabilitation involved people first being treated to control their symptoms followed by training or work experience in a sheltered environment. However, in IPS clinical treatment and employment support are integrated and occur at the same time. The focus here is to help people get a job corresponding with their interests and then providing all the support they need for as long as necessary. This study aims to increase the number of people with mental health problems who are in paid work in Nottinghamshire. Besides boosting the supply of high-quality employment support, it will look at alternative ways of providing this, both with and without work-focused psychological counseling.

Who can participate?
Participants of working age (18-65) will be recruited from the caseloads of community mental health teams (CMHTs) and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) teams in Nottinghamshire.

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to receive either IPS alone or IPS with work-focused psychological support, to see which approach has the best outcome. Participants complete questionnaires at the start of the study and after 6 and 12 months, and are also contacted via phone after 3, 9 and 18 months.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Not provided at time of registration.

Where is the study run from?
NIHR CLAHRC Nottinghamshire (UK).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
August 2010 to July 2013.

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK).

Who is the main contact?
Prof. Justine Schneider
Justine.Schneider@nottingham.ac.uk

Study website

Contact information

Prof Justine Schneider
Scientific

NIHR CLAHRC Nottinghamshire
Lincolnshire and Derbyshire
The Sir Colin Campbell Building
University of Nottingham Innovation Park
Triumph Road
Nottingham
NG7 2TU
United Kingdom

Email Justine.Schneider@nottingham.ac.uk

Study information

Study designSingle-centre randomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please contact Ms Athfah Akhtar (athfah.akhtar@nottingham.ac.uk) to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleIndividual placement and support for people with severe mental health problems: an implementation study of IPS with and without individual counselling as access routes to paid employment
Study objectivesPsychological therapy as an adjunct to IPS will prove more successful in helping people with schizophrenia and related disorders into work than IPS alone
Ethics approval(s)Derbyshire Research Ethics Committee, 28/04/2010, ref: 10/H0401/18
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedSevere mental Illness
InterventionIndividual Placement and Support (IPS) alone versus IPS + work - focussed psychological therapy
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measure1. The total number of working hours completed within six months of entering the trial. We will measure this by monitoring job start and end dates and paid hours worked per week.
2. Type of employment and wage levels will be recorded
Secondary outcome measures1. Changes in self-esteem, experienced stigma, work limitations, quality of life and changes in costs, service utilisation, income and related matters
2. We will also monitor other vocational activities such as education, training and volunteering that participants may have done while looking for paid work
Overall study start date01/08/2010
Completion date01/07/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
Upper age limit60 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants56 people to be recruited to the trial
Key inclusion criteria1. Community Mental Health Teams and Early Intervention in Psychosis teams' clients of working age (18-60)
2. People with dual diagnosis (substance use problems and mental health issues) will also be included
Key exclusion criteria1. Inpatients at the time of invitation to participate
2. People currently in work or in education and not wishing to work
3. Individuals who are unwilling or unable to give informed consent
4. Participants who are already receiving cognitive based therapy (CBT)
Date of first enrolment01/08/2010
Date of final enrolment01/12/2011

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

NIHR CLAHRC Nottinghamshire
Nottingham
NG7 2TU
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Nottingham (UK)
University/education

Research Innovation Services
King's Meadow Campus
Lenton Lane
Nottingham
NG7 2NR
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ris/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01ee9ar58

Funders

Funder type

Government

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK) - Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 09/05/2016 Yes No

Editorial Notes

19/01/2018: Publication reference added.