Mental Health and Jobs
For years, professionals like myself, professional bodies like the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and other concerned individuals and groups have been saying that this country faces a mental health crisis which if left unchecked could significantly damage the country. Figures recently released show that 300,000 people leave their jobs every year due to mental health issues. This is at a cost to the UK economy of £99bn per year. Ladies and gentlemen I believe that the crisis has now been proven.
Mental health treatment should not be looked upon, as it is in certain circles, as a luxury which the country cannot afford. I say that mental health treatment is essential if this country is to grow and thrive. But on an even more personal note, we are a civilised country, we as a people tend to criticise other countries for backward practices and for inefficiency. I think we should all be taking a good hard look at how we treat our fellow citizens and ask, “If that were me, how would I like to be treated”. We are all entitled to compassion and whilst this tends to be a given in physical health issues, it lacks sorely in mental health issues. The time for talking is at an end, this is an issue which needs to be at the top of the agenda as it is as important to the long term growth and wealth of the country as Brexit.
