Department of Health guidance also makes it clear that social services departments are the lead agency for planning and arranging services. The Department of Health has said that early consultation on the national strategy has highlighted the following amongst key issues to help achieve this. What other opportunities there are for meaningful occupation How people are supported to learn about their rights and duties as citizens What training is available for family carers Education providers should have a contribution to make in all these areas. The objective of the JIP is to ensure that health and local authorities contribute to an effective and co-ordinated pattern of service provision to enable those disabled people of working age who want to do so, to move closer to the world of work , or take up or remain in employment. The guidance from the Department of Health on JIPs for welfare to work for disabled people is very similar to that for people with learning disabilities.
Local authorities are the lead agency for the process for developing the plans.
The Department of Health recognises that a JIP on welfare to work for disabled people will require the NHS and local authorities and their partners to develop new, or stronger, links with other agencies, for example, with education, employment, careers services and the Benefits Agency. The Joint Investment Plan is intended to cover all disabled people of working age who wish to maximise their employment chances. The guidance calls for links to be made between the JIP for welfare to work for disabled people and other JIPs relevant to the client group, e.g. the JIPs for adult mental health and people with learning disabilities. The Government believes that work is the best route out of poverty for disabled people, as well as for others of working age, wherever it is practical. Around 2 million disabled people already work, and one million more say they want to.