The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has called for a coordinated response to boost mental health in the workplace. The world’s largest occupational safety and health (OSH) body has responded to a European Commission consultation, saying that more effective leadership and governance frameworks are required to help improve mental health in the...
NSPCC campaign tackles ‘heart-breaking’ loneliness
The NSPCC has launched a new campaign to tackle the “heart-breaking” loneliness experienced by children and young people across the country. The ‘Day in the Lonely’ campaign uses day-in-the-life style videos to illustrate how three young people experience loneliness. The videos, based on real-life calls received by Childline, are designed to encourage children to...
Let’s Connect for Children’s Mental Health Week
This week (6th-12th February 2023) is Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme for this year is Let’s Connect, as data suggests more than two-thirds of children experiencing mental health problems feel socially anxious. The annual awareness week is run by children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, and was first launched in 2015 to help...
Have a mental health conversation on Time to Talk Day
Thursday 2nd February 2023 is Time to Talk Day, aimed at encouraging the nation to make time for a conversation about mental health. The national awareness day, which was first launched in 2014, is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, in partnership with the Co-op. It is a UK-wide campaign, which...
Third of UK adults feel anxious about their finances
There are worries about the state of the nation’s mental health after a recent survey found that more than one third (34%) of adults in the UK felt anxious due to financial worries. The survey, commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation, also found that 1 in 10 adults felt hopeless about their finances, while...
Child mental health referrals up 39% after ‘difficult’ year
Referrals for child mental health services have risen by 39% in England in just one year, official data has revealed. NHS referrals for mental health treatment for under-18s increased to more than 1.1 million during 2021-22, compared to 839,570 in 2020-21, and 850,741 in 2019-20. The figures – branded “alarming” by the NSPCC –...
New campaign to improve public mental health
The government has launched a new campaign to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the general public. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), which was only officially launched on 1st October 2021, has initiated its first campaign as part of the government’s mission to tackle health problems at an earlier stage....
IOSH shares workplace strategies to prevent suicide
As World Suicide Prevention Day was observed earlier this month, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) shared workplace strategies to support people’s mental health and prevent suicide. The world’s largest occupational health and safety body said that the Covid-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the mental health and wellbeing of people across the...
Parents have lost faith in child mental health care
An investigation carried out by the BBC has found that parents and headteachers have lost faith in the mental health care system for children and young people as they face “agonisingly” long waits for treatment. After examining data from half of England’s services, investigators found that 1 in 5 children seen for mental health...
Half of frontline workers say job pressures are ‘out of control’
An 18-month long study into wellbeing within the emergency services has found that frontline healthcare workers are exhausted and at high risk of experiencing mental health disorders and burnout. The detailed report from mental health digital platform 87percent.co.uk, entitled The State of Mental Wellbeing on the Frontline, reveals that almost 1 in 2 (49%)...
It’s Youth Mental Health Day
Today (7th September) marks Youth Mental Health Day 2021, with the theme for this year focussing on how young people can #StrideForward with their mental health and wellbeing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Established by leading youth mental health charity Stem4, the awareness day aims to encourage understanding and discussion of mental...
IOSH urges caution as people return to workplaces
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has urged caution over the gradual return of staff to workplaces. Speaking after the government confirmed that England would move to the final stage of its gradual easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures, IOSH’s Head of Advice and Practice, Duncan Spencer, warned: “Covid-19 still poses a significant...
Workers feel under pressure to hide mental health struggles
A survey has found that many UK workers feel under pressure to hide their mental health struggles and “put on a brave face” at work as the government encourages them to head back to the office. The survey of more than 2,000 people, commissioned by online healthcare provider Lime Insurance, found that just over...
Childline supports young people with sexuality and gender identity
During Pride Month, Childline has voiced its support for children and young people struggling with their gender identity or sexuality. The national charity helpline says that, over the past year, it has seen a 29% increase in the number of young people contacting them to talk about concerns relating to coming out. The helpline...
Global standard for mental health at work
The first global standard to help employers manage psychosocial hazards at work is due to arrive this summer. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) spoke out earlier this month to welcome the impending arrival of ISO 45003 “as a proactive attempt to make good mental wellbeing part of a company’s culture.” The...