Yesterday I was proud to sign the MIND Blue Light pledge on ‘Time to talk day’.
In recent years great efforts have been made to tackle mental health stigma and all that comes with it, but this is still far too little understanding of the scale of the problem.
One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem each year. That means every family, every community and every workplace will face the challenges that mental health problems bring.
Those working in our emergency services deserve particular support in this regard, as research from MIND shows they are even more likely to experience mental health problems than others – but they must also support the public too, often in high pressure environments. And they’re less likely to seek mental health support too.
That’s why we’re proud to signal UNISON’s commitment to our staff, members and volunteers when it comes to mental health. We must ensure that the support is there to help those affected – both those suffering personally, and those supporting their loved ones and colleagues.
And we need a culture where people are comfortable speaking about mental health, both to provide a better working environment – and society – for those who need our support.
So UNISON will continue to campaign for better mental health services, and workplaces that support those who need support. Together, we can help remove the barriers to understanding mental health.