Sheltered Workshop — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ

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EasyRehabilitationSheltered WorkshopMRCPsych Paper B

A 50-year-old woman with chronic schizophrenia has for several years attended a segregated, supervised work setting where most workers have disabilities. She performs repetitive assembly tasks and receives a modest payment. The placement is ongoing rather than a time-limited preparation for competitive employment. Which employment model is this?

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Correct answer: A — Sheltered workshop

The correct answer is A, sheltered workshop. The defining features are paid productive activity in a supervised setting segregated from the competitive labour market, with the placement continuing rather than serving as a brief preparatory stage. A pre-vocational programme prepares someone for subsequent competitive employment and may include training or transitional work, so the stated absence of that goal distinguishes option D. IPS places people rapidly into ordinary competitive employment and provides ongoing support; NICE explicitly distinguishes it from sheltered placements. A social firm is a market-led social enterprise providing good-quality jobs rather than a segregated clinical workshop. Day-centre attendance may provide structured occupation but is not specifically an employment model. Current UK practice favours IPS when mainstream employment is the person's goal.

Reference: NICE, Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults, Quality Standard QS80, Quality statement 5: Supported employment programmes, 2015. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs80/chapter/quality-statement-5-supported-employment-programmes