Mental health at work

SIR – We, as the chairman of Mental Health First Aid England and CEO of Bauer Media Group, along with leaders of some of the UK’s biggest employers, write to ask that the Government prioritises its manifesto pledge to amend health and safety regulations, so that workplaces are required to make provision for mental as well as physical first aid.

The commitment to make mental health first aid mandatory is supported by both employers and the public; since May 2018, more than 200,000 people have signed the Bauer Media change.org petition.

There are both economic and human reasons for this. Each year, mental health issues cost the UK economy almost £35 billion, with 15.4 million working days lost to workrelated stress, depression or anxiety. But the cost is not just financial: mental ill-health has an impact on all relationships and on quality of life.

As employers, we have a duty of care for our staff. While some are equalising their number of mental health first aiders with physical first aiders, others are not. Cost is no excuse because, in the long term, making mental health first aid mandatory will save money.

Success will ensure that employees everywhere can access a trained staff member to receive support and guidance. Success will ensure every employee has the right to a mentally healthy environment. It will also mean that we can finally break the stigma of mental health in the workplace.

We all have mental health needs, just as we have physical health needs. The law must change to reflect this. Professor Mark Watson-Gandy

Chairman, Mental Health First Aid England Paul Keenan

CEO, Bauer Media Group Andy Barratt

Chair and Managing Director, Ford of Britain Kevin Ellis

Chairman and Senior Partner, PwC Peter Harrison Group Chief Executive, Schroders Stephen Clarke

CEO, WHSmith and 48 others; see telegraph.co.uk