title: The clinical profile of employees with mental health problems working in social firms in the UK.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  UK social firms are under-researched but are a potentially important vocational option for people with mental health problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical profile, satisfaction levels and experiences of social firms employees with mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical, work and service use characteristics were collected from social firms' employees with mental health problems in England and Wales. Workplace experience and satisfaction were explored qualitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Predominantly, social firms' employees (N = 80) report that they have a diagnosis of depression (56%) and anxiety (41%). People with schizophrenia (20%) or bipolar disorder (5%) were a minority. Respondents had low symptom and disability levels, high quality of life and job satisfaction and experienced reductions in secondary mental health service use over time. High-workplace satisfaction was related to flexibility, manager and colleague support and workplace accommodations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical profile, quality of life and job satisfaction level of employees with mental health problems suggest social firms could be a useful addition to UK vocational services for some people. Current employees mainly have common mental disorders, and social firms will need to shift their focus if they are to form a substantial pathway for the vocational recovery of people currently using community mental health teams.
authors.affiliation: a UCL Mental Health Sciences Unit , London , UK .
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.affiliation: b Division of Health Sciences , Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick , Coventry , UK .
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK .
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morant
authors.affiliation: d Caludon Centre, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust , Coventry , UK .
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: e Department of Psychiatry , University College London , London , UK .
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: f Suresearch Office, Muirhead Tower, University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK .
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: g Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing , Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick , Coventry , UK .
authors.forename: Swaran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: h Social Firms UK, Regal Chambers , Hitchin , Hertfordshire, UK , and.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cunliffe
authors.affiliation: g Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing , Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick , Coventry , UK .|i Early Intervention Service , Swanswell Point , Coventry , UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marwaha
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Employment; mental illness; social firms