News

A new WorkWell bus advertisement is set to hit the roads across the Black Country, spreading a positive message of support for people whose health may be affecting their working lives.

As the New Year gets underway, many are thinking about fresh starts, new goals and getting back on track after the festive period. For some, however, ongoing physical or mental health issues can make getting into work, staying in work, or returning after time off feel like a real challenge. That’s where WorkWell comes in.

The new advertisement, displayed on buses travelling across the Black Country, is designed to raise awareness of the free WorkWell support available to local people. Whether someone is struggling with a long-term condition, recovering from illness or injury, or feeling overwhelmed by stress or anxiety linked to work, WorkWell offers practical, personalised help to support health and wellbeing at work.

Patients across all four Black Country boroughs are set to benefit from a major investment to help people stay in or return to work, thanks to new funding awarded through the Primary Care Innovation Fund.

The funding will support GP practices in Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell to scale up successful pilots already shown to reduce demand on GP appointments and provide patients with specialist support from Work and Health Coaches delivering the WorkWell programme. By integrating work and health services directly into primary care, the programme will ensure more patients receive timely support to remain in employment or return to work after illness.

Each borough will receive £25,000 to build additional capacity, deliver targeted communications, and expand referrals into the nationally recognised WorkWell programme.

The Mayor of the West Midlands has visited Blakenall Village Centre to see first-hand how the WorkWell programme is supporting Walsall residents with health conditions or disabilities to access and stay in employment.

WorkWell is an early-intervention work and health support programme funded by the UK Government and delivered in the Black Country as one of 15 national pilot areas. In Walsall, the programme is led by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) and delivered through the Trust and local partners coordinated via Walsall Together. The programme provides personalised one-to-one support and helps people to overcome health-related barriers to work before challenges become long term.

Led by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, WorkWell is supported through place-based leadership within the Walsall Together Partnership, which has been selected as one of 43 national pioneer sites for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), reflecting a strong, system-wide commitment to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities.

During the visit, the Mayor met representatives from BCHFT, public health and primary care, as well as other local delivery partners and heard about the impact WorkWell is already having across the borough. To date, the programme has supported more than 1,800 people across the Black Country into employment pathways, volunteering or education, with strong feedback from participants.

Earlier this year in September, Wolvehampton IPS team had the privilege of attending the Wolverhampton Business Breakfast, where we connected with local businesses, community leaders, and key figures shaping the city’s future.

A highlight of the event was our meeting with Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Communities. We had the opportunity to share in-depth insights into our work as IPS Vocational Specialists, supporting individuals with mental health challenges to return to meaningful and sustainable employment.

Councillor Ahmed was particularly engaged in our discussion around the impact of IPS on local communities and explored potential opportunities for collaboration. We also discussed the possibility of her attending one of our network meetings to provide a more detailed overview of her work with Wolverhampton University, promoting health and wellbeing across the city.

The event underscored the importance of partnership and collaboration between local authorities and vocational support services like Wolves IPS, ensuring stronger community cohesion and better outcomes for individuals seekin
g meaningful employment.

At a time when youth unemployment continues to present a significant challenge across the Black Country and wider West Midlands, WorkWell, led by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust through its Employment and Recovery Service, is delivering positive results successfully engaging young people and supporting them to take active steps towards employment, education, and training.

Over the period of October 2024 to October 2025, WorkWell has received more than 650 referrals of 16-24 year olds from across the four Black Country boroughs. Of those, more than 330 participants formally joined the programme. 

Cruicially, over 50% of those who signed up are now actively engaged in support such as skills coaching, employer introductions, and job search mentoring to transition into employment, training or further education. The number of new starts has risen steadily across the year, with particularly strong uptake in summer and autumn 2025.

When life took an unexpected turn in December 2024, Luke, a Sandwell resident found themselves admitted to Hallam Street Hospital. At the time, they were in full-time employment, and as part of their support and recovery journey, they were referred to the IPS Retention Team and met Melanie, their retention worker.

“Mel met me at one of the lowest points in my life,” Luke shared. “I was struggling both mentally and physically, but she was kind, warm and understanding from the very start.”

Throughout their hospital stay and beyond, Melanie offered regular meetings, wellbeing check-ins, and compassionate listening. “She became more than my retention worker - she became my safe person. Mel listened when I cried, laughed with me when I was happy, and gave me the strength to rebuild. She was my backbone in recovery.”