Why organisations need to take the lead on mental health
December 21 2023
Read moreAs the King prepares to officially open Parliament, setting out the agenda for the year ahead, now is a good time to look at what we can expect from the new government.
Most of the country will be scrutinizing what Labour has to offer the UK in terms of growth for the country and how they will tackle major issues, such as the cost-of-living crisis and the underfunded NHS.
And with the UK facing a mental health crisis like never before, Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at Health Assured, looks at how the new government plans to address this.
“Labour has said they will be putting mental health on the same level at physical health. 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health challenge of some kind every year in the UK, including depression, anxiety, and OCD. It’s important that the government prioritises providing stable mental health support foundations with appropriate mental health support that people can access quickly and effectively.
“Wes Streeting, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has said that a Labour government would make the NHS ‘fit for the future’, while the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has described the NHS as ‘broken’.
“Labour has made some big claims around better mental health support within the UK. They aim to recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff in their first term of service, deliver an extra million NHS appointments a year, and reducing waiting times for people waiting for health care.
“In recent years, we have seen a spike in mental health patients being treated poorly because of stigma and discrimination. Labour has said their plans ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity throughout treatments, including mental health treatment.
“The government has indicated a desire to increase early intervention to help prevent mental health crises from spiralling. This prevention over cure method is a way of dealing with mental health problems before they become too much, alleviating stress from the NHS and giving people early access to support services. With less people at crisis point, we have a healthier country and a less stretched health service.
“Labour has big plans for a positive mental health growth for children and, in their words, their plan will ‘create the healthiest generation of children ever.’
“They have promised to cut waiting times for children to access better mental health care, whilst also providing mental health support in schools. Funding for this will come from their plans to abolish tax breaks for private schools.
“Similarly to adult mental health, Labour will look to prioritise preventative measures rather than dealing with children at crisis point. They propose to create young future hubs in every community and the 8,500 staff they plan to recruit in the NHS will also go towards specially trained staff for CAMHS and NHS talk therapies.
Several of the proposed changes to employment law are focused on family friendly policies and improving work/life balance, all of which help to support good mental health. Some of the key policies include:
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