RFQ for IPS programme Strategic Consultant Lead

The West Midlands Combined Authority was selected by the Department of Health (DH, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and NHS England as one of the two national trial sites for a major trial of a health-based supported employment service, called Individual Placement and Support (IPS). The West Midlands programme was likely to be the largest ever trial of IPS attempted globally and is one of the government's most significant investments in employment support for people with health issues over the previous three years.

The trial was globally significant, both in terms of its scale, its innovative quality, and in terms of its potential impact on future funding for health-based employment services. The Strategic Programme Manager will be instrumental in ensuring the success of the programme building on the delivery of the academic Randomised Control Trial.

They will manage the next phase of the set-up and mobilisation of the project and then delivery against targets during the operational phase. The Strategic Programme Manager will work with senior leaders throughout the region to commission and contract manage IPS providers for the duration of the project, directly manage the programme office, manage the relationship with DWP, DH, NHS England and the national evaluation team, develop primary care links across the region, and ensure that the programme delivers again strict academic evaluation protocols.