Supported b the DWP, the proposed WorkWell sites are in east of Brighton and Hove, Hastings and Crawley.

‘The WorkWell initiative complements the fourth aim of Integrated Care Systems, which is helping the NHS to support broader social and economic development,' said Matthew Carr, clinical director for integrated community teams at NHS Sussex.

‘We want to improve local lives and reduce health inequalities while supporting economic growth, and collaboration with organisations from across Sussex will be key to the programme's success.'

Rebecca Sharp, senior programme manager at Health Innovation KSS, added: ‘People with health conditions who want to work should be able to, and the WorkWell programme will support them to do so. We are looking forward to working with NHS Sussex, local authorities, VCSE sector and DWP/Jobcentre Plus, to design and deliver a WorkWell service that reflects local needs.'

The projects will be delivered through Sussex's emerging Integrated Community Teams  who will work at neighbourhood level to support mobilisation of service integration between health and work.

The initial focus of the pilots will be on supporting people with musculoskeletal and/or mental health conditions, two of the most common health issues that lead to long-term sickness and economic inactivity.