Mrs May’s speech outlining upcoming reforms in

mental health is a positive step towards a much

needed focus on this area that has huge

implications for all aspects of society.  The governments ideas around educational initiatives including ‘mental health first aid training’ in schools and building resilience in children will be welcomed by many and is seen as the first steps in tackling the worrying rise in levels of mental health problems amongst children and adolescents.

In my opinion the recent announcements with regards to mental health in the workplace falls short of what is needed in reality. There is a small mention of prevention but the vast majority of measures suggested are once again reactive in nature. Responding in the right way, reducing stigma and supporting those suffering with mental health problems in the workplace are vital.  However, there needs to be a shift in focus to prevention if we are to truly make headway into tackling this issue within the workplace.

There have been many campaigns over the years raising awareness of mental health and initiatives to reduce the stigma associated with this issue. This has had a positive impact on how people view mental health problems. In my experience as a GP I have seen significant shifts in attitude amongst patients over the years. I find that patients are more aware and happy to discuss potential mental health problems and are being more open about their difficulties with their employers. I have also sadly seen a steady increase in patients reporting the beginning off or a deterioration in their mental health problems as a direct result of issues with their workplace.

Mrs May highlighted the implications of staff wellbeing not only for the individuals concerned but also for the employers. From a business point of the view the return on investment you get from a healthy workforce far outweighs any investment you may need to put in to promote health and wellbeing.

Much of the commentary after Mrs May’s speech highlighted the importance of focussing on mental health and shifting the balance of parity between physical and mental health. I believe this is a false economy and is a widely misunderstood concept. The intricate links between physical and mental health means that they cannot be dealt with in isolation. All mental health problems have inevitable physical health implications and vice versa. For this reason we need to move towards a more holistic approach to managing health and wellbeing in the workplace. A true biopsychosocial approach is what is needed to tackle this issue head on. Looking at an individual’s physical, psychological and social state and intervening positively within each of these areas is sure to have the best results. I hope that going forward Lord Stevenson and Paul Farmer in their review of mental health in the workplace take a holistic approach and I look forward to these positive changes materialising in every workplace across the country.

For the full article on Theresa May – we will reduce stigma around mental illness click here

By Dr Gilur Rahman