From conductor dreams to mental health research
Posted on Wednesday 13 May 2026
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 is "Action," a call to move beyond awareness and toward tangible action. At the Centre for Health Economics (CHE), we are putting this into practice through the Support2Work project, led by Professor Rowena Jacobs, Deputy Head of Department at CHE.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Professor Rowena Jacobs joined Professor Lina Gega and The Research Room podcast hosts Lucy Atha and Janine Heeley to discuss the Support2Work project.
In the podcast, Professor Jacobs, who revealed she once dreamed of becoming an orchestra conductor, discussed how the project investigates whether integrating employment support into NHS mental health services can improve people’s mental health and work-related outcomes, including employment, return to work, and productivity.
Addressing the economic inactivity crisis
The UK is currently experiencing a sharp trend in economic inactivity, with nearly 2.9 million people out of the labour market due to sickness, an increase of 800,000 since 2019. Importantly, over half of those who are economically inactive, and over a quarter of the 8 million people with work-limiting health conditions in the UK cite mental health as the primary cause.
The Support2Work project evaluates the impact of Employment Advisers (EAs) within NHS Talking Therapies. These advisers provide practical job support, such as CV building, employer liaison, and job searching, alongside the clinical psychological support provided by NHS therapists.
The project aims to determine if combining psychological therapy with practical job support leads to better mental health and economic outcomes than therapy alone. It uses both quantitative and qualitative analyses to further explore whether outcomes differ across socio-economic groups, how these outcomes are achieved, and whether the Employment Adviser service provides value for money. In addition, the research examines whether access to an Employment Adviser can help reduce secondary healthcare costs for the NHS.
Listen to the episode
Learn more about how the Support2Work project is turning mental health awareness into action in The Research Room with Professor Rowena Jacobs and Professor Lina Gega: