LOCAL doctors have shown their commitment to changing the way we think about mental health in the workplace by signing up as a Time to Change employer.
The campaign is run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness and by signing the pledge the three Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups of local doctors have committed to encouraging people to open up about their mental health problems and offer them support in tackling any issues.
Simon Trickett, accountable officer for the CCGs, said: “I’m delighted to sign the Time to Change pledge on behalf of the Worcestershire CCGs.
“With one in four of us likely to be affected by a mental health problem in any given year, it’s important that everyone feels they have a place to discuss any issues that they might have.
“Signing the pledge demonstrates our continued commitment to tackling mental health and ensuring that we’re providing staff with a great place to work.”
So far more than 450 organisations have signed up to the Time to Change pledge, including many NHS trusts, universities, local authorities and private companies.
Jo Loughran, interim director of Time to Change, said: “We know it can be hard to talk about mental health, which is why we’re supporting employers to open up; to talk and to listen.
“Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless, but with the right support, those of us with mental health problems can recover and have equal opportunities in all areas of life.”
Time to Change is funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund. Set up to create a positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems, Time to Change supports communities, schools and workplaces to open up to mental health problems; to talk and to listen.
