Promoting a Positive Employment Culture (PPEC)
Supporting people with severe mental illness and psychosis into employment
Help shape better employment support
At South London and Maudsley NHS trust , we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to find and succeed in meaningful employment. This project aims to make that a reality for people living with severe mental illness or psychosis. In partnership with Maudsley Learning, we are developing virtual reality (VR) training programmes for clinicians, including doctors, nurses and care coordinators, to enhance how employment support is provided for service users. To make this training realistic and effective, we are inviting service users to share their experiences and insights. Your input will help shape authentic training scenarios, ensuring staff gain a deeper understanding of real challenges and deliver more person-centred support.
How You Can Take Part
You can choose to take part in:
• A focus group
• An individual interview
If this sounds of interest, please contact mlresearch@slam.nhs.uk.
Your contribution will help influence how staff are trained and how employment support is delivered across South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Take the training needs analysis survey
As part of Phase 1 of the Promoting a Positive Employment Culture project, we are inviting staff across South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to complete the Training Needs Analysis survey. This short anonymous survey will help us understand current training needs and identify the skills and knowledge required to strengthen employment support within clinical and non
About the Project
The Promoting a Positive Employment Culture (PPEC) project is a £300,000 South London and Maudsley Charity funded initiative. It aims to strengthen referral pathways into employment services and build a culture that supports employment across the Trust.
This project is delivered by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and supported by Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Team Leads, Borough Directors and Clinical Leads across all four SLaM boroughs.
Project Goals
We aim to improve employment opportunities for people with severe mental illness and psychosis by:
• Raising awareness of Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
• Strengthening referrals to employment services
• Embedding a positive employment culture across services
How We Will Make a Difference
• Conducting surveys (200) and focus groups (80) across the four boroughs
• Developing training scenarios and Virtual Reality (VR) training
• Identifying and supporting IPS VR Champions
• Creating e-learning and Train the Trainer (TTT) resources
• Delivering face-to-face VR training
• Monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes
Project Timeline
| Phase | Activity | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Planning | January to August 2025 |
| 2 | Data Collection and Analysis | September 2025 to January 2026 |
| 3 | VR Development | February to August 2026 |
| 4 | Pilot and Formal Training | August to December 2026 |
| 5 | Evaluation and Final Report | January to July 2027 |
Employment Support at South London and Maudsley
Our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) teams help people with severe mental illness or psychosis to find and maintain employment.
They work closely with NHS services and local employers, focusing on recovery, inclusion and long-term stability.
Resources, Downloads & Related Links
- VR Champion Recruitment Flyer
- VR Champion Poster
- Service User Flyer
- Email Banner for IPS Leads
- WorkWell Webpage
Contact Us
If you would like to learn more about the Promoting a Positive Employment Culture project or explore opportunities to collaborate, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us at: