Promoting a Positive Employment Culture (PPEC)
Supporting people with severe mental illness and psychosis into employment
Help shape better employment support to people with severe mental illness
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 and SLaM staff to share their experiences and insights. Your input will help shape authentic training scenarios, ensuring we gain a deeper understanding of real challenges and deliver more person centred support.
Now Recruiting VR Champions
We are recruiting VR Champions to support the rollout of an exciting new Virtual Reality training programme (PPEC VR) for staff across SLaM. This innovative initiative is designed to enhance learning and promote a positive employment culture. This is a fully funded opportunity, open to both clinical and non-clinical staff. All training, equipment, and certification will be provided, and no technical experience is required. We’re simply looking for enthusiastic individuals who are keen to support colleagues, share feedback, and help shape the future of this innovative training approach. If you are interested or would like to find out more, please contact: 📧 mlresearch@slam.nhs.uk
Thank you to all SLaM staff who participated in the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) survey. We received 48 responses from teams across all four boroughs, providing valuable insight into staff attitudes, challenges, and perceived barriers to employment for service users with severe mental illness.
We would also like to thank those who took part in the individual interviews and focus group discussions, which further enriched our understanding.
About the Project
The Promoting a Positive Employment Culture 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 and supported by Individual Placement and Support 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
- Strengthening referrals to employment services
- Embedding a positive employment culture across services
How We Will Make a Difference
- Conducting surveys and focus groups across the four boroughs
- Developing training scenarios and virtual reality training
- Identifying and supporting virtual reality champions
- Creating e learning and Train the Trainer resources
- Delivering face to face virtual reality training
- Monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes
Project Timeline
| Phase | Research Activities | Participant Group | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 – Data Collection | Training Needs Analysis (TNA) | Crisis, Inpatient and Community teams across each borough, senior leaders | December 2025 to February 2026 |
| Phase 1 – Data Collection | Focus groups and interviews (TNA; validation of measurement tool) | Borough Directors, Deputy Directors, General Managers, Clinical Service Leads, Crisis, Inpatient and Community teams | December 2025 to April 2026 |
| Phase 1 – Data Collection | Recruitment of VR champions | Clinical teams | December 2025 to June 2026 |
| Phase 2 – Content Development | Content development focus groups and interviews | Borough Leadership, Clinical Leads, IPS Leads, Care Co ordinators, Clinical Team Leaders, Psychiatrists, IPS Team Leaders, Service Users | December 2025 to May 2026 |
| Phase 3 – VR Training and Evaluation | Recruitment of participants (via champions, no comms required) | Training participants, VR champions | August to November 2026 |
| Phase 3 – VR Training and Evaluation | Observational analysis | Training participants and VR champions | August to November 2026 |
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
Project Updates
8/12/2025 – Phase 1 of the PPEC project has begun with the start of data collection.
• Training Needs Analysis survey target: 200 participants (50 from each SLaM borough: Lewisham, Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon)
• Interview and focus group target: 50 participants in total (12 to 13 from each borough)
3/12/2025 – Capacity and Capability approval confirmed by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
11/11/2025 – Health Research Authority approval granted
IRAS project ID: 348442 REC reference: 25/WM/0198
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: