“We all have mental health, and all have a part to play in changing things for the better.” Department of Health and Social Care

There is currently a government consultation ongoing in relation to seeking ideas on how mental health care and wellbeing can be improved with the view to putting in place a 10 year plan. 

The consultation makes clear that “we all have mental health, and all have a part to play in changing things for the better.”

This includes the role for employers to support mental wellbeing including early intervention. The discussion paper highlights the increase of those with mental health issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and how the costs of mental health issues on the economy is substantial. In the “Thriving at Work” independent review commissioned in 2017, it was considered through an independent study commissioned from Deloitte that there was a large annual cost to employers of between £33 billion and £42 billion with over half of the cost coming from individuals who are less productive due to poor mental health in work. This is likely to be increasing.

The consultation closes on 7 July 2022.

If you would like to help develop the new plan then you can complete the online survey by 11:45pm on 7 July 2022. 

See below for the link: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/mental-health-and-wellbeing-plan-discussion-paper-and-call-for-evidence

The contents of this article is a general guide only at the date of publication.  It is not comprehensive and it does not constitute legal advice.  Specific legal advice should be sought in relation to the particular facts of a given situation.

The government has committed to develop a new cross-government, 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England to support this objective. We want to ensure our new plan responds to the public’s priorities and set out what we can all do as a whole society to drive better outcomes. We all have mental health, and all have a part to play in changing things for the better.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/mental-health-and-wellbeing-plan-discussion-paper-and-call-for-evidence