A new rapid evidence review highlights significant opportunities to strengthen support for people who are off work for up to a year with mental health or musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.
The latest report reviews numerous evidence to identify interventions delivered by government, healthcare providers and the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector that can support return to work for people with musculoskeletal and/or mental health conditions.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) in partnership with Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, the evidence synthesis research team found that:
- Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), are effective at improving mental health.
- The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) scheme, which helps people find and keep jobs while receiving mental health support, performs strongly.
- Multidisciplinary teams that include physiotherapists, psychologists and employment advisers offer better support when working collaboratively.
The report also sets out recommendations to help people with mental health or MSK conditions return to work, including:
- Offering personalised support tailored to each person’s health needs and work situation.
- Strengthening partnership working between NHS services, councils and employment support providers.
- Training frontline staff in coaching and motivational interviewing.
- Carefully timed engagement — balancing early support with individual readiness.
- Building a stronger evidence base for community‑based support and emerging NHS roles.
The review concludes that while promising models exist, evidence for government and community‑led employment support remains limited, and investment in high‑quality research and evaluation of services is essential. It also recognises that positive relationships with the wide range of professionals who may support someone’s return to work can be an important factor in achieving successful outcomes.
Dr Maryann Ferreux, Implementation Lead at ARC KSS and Chief Medical Officer, Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, says:
"By investing in skilled staff and supporting integrated, place‑based working, many more people with mental or MSK conditions can be helped to stay in work or return sooner — benefiting individuals, employers and communities alike."
