Research suggests that the longer a person stays out of work as a result of incapacity, the less likely they are to return. This has consequences for their health and for their ability to participate in the community.
Consultations as part of the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy revealed that General Practitioners want more information about their role on the employment support system, to assist them to help people with mental illness find a job, stay in, or return to the workforce.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has developed a brochure "work and your mental health" as part of the Department's contributions to the Council of Australian Governments National Action Plan on Mental Health.
The work and your mental health brochure is a resource for General Practitioners to assist them in discussions with patients about the benefits of work to mental health. The brochure provides information about the role work can have in recovery from mental illness. It also includes tips on planning a return to work.
Multiple copies will be mailed to General Practitioners in July 2010. A sample copy will also be included in the July 2010 edition of Australian Family Practice, a publication of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Requests for further hard copies can be made through JobAccess.
General Practitioners can speak to a JobAccess Adviser on 1800 464 800 about supports available to help people with mental illness to find or stay in employment or to return to work after a period of absence.
The brochure can be requested through JobAccess on 1800 464 800 or printed or downloaded directly from the JobAccess website's publication section, and the RACGP website.