Employers, schools, and general practitioners must play a heightened role in mental-health care in the United Kingdom. Ministers are calling for employers to contribute by making managers more aware of how to handle mental illness in the workplace.
According to a BBC report, investment in recent years has focused on improving treatment, but the new 10-year strategy calls for more emphasis on prevention and early intervention. In particular, it noted the importance of helping people return to work to aid recovery from mental illness and preventing reoccurrence.
Mental illness accounts for a greater burden of disease than any other condition. A fifth of early deaths are related to mental health problems, compared to under a sixth for both heart disease and cancer. Since 2001, spending on mental health services has increased by nearly 50%. Officials say this has helped improve access to a range of services, such as talking therapies.
The new strategy – set out in a series of reports based on recommendations made by a government-appointed panel of experts – focuses mainly on ways the approach to mental health can be broadened. Campaigners said the move represented a “promising start” in changing policy.
Employment is one of the key priorities, with research showing that working is beneficial for people with mental health issues. One study found for every £1 ($1.63) spent on employment programs, £1.72 ($2.81) is saved on treatment. (workersxzcompxzkit)
To help improve the low rates of employment among those with problems, the government is planning to appoint mental health co-coordinators to work with Job Centers across the country. Dedicated advice lines are also to be set up for small businesses to give their staff direct access to occupational health professionals to help them stay in work. Government-backed work placements are also to be piloted to help people return to work.
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