Nursing Provider Looking To Change Perception On World Mental Health Day

The Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield-based nursing provider Local Care Force have signed an Employer Pledge with Time to Change, which is the constantly growing social movement run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness which helps support and encourage people to open up to mental health problems. By signing up, Local Care Force are committing to change the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace.

Amelia Greenwood-Blott, the Senior Regional Clinical Lead Nurse for Local Care Force said:

“This year we have committed to prioritising mental health in the workplace and signing the Employer Pledge with Time to Change is an important step towards this. We intend to normalise the conversation about mental health in the workplace and have prepared an action plan of activity that will help to break the silence that surrounds this issue. This further underpins the commitment we made earlier in the year when we launched our Address Your Stress initiative to help our staff maintain their own wellbeing. We have introduced mental health first-aid training which has bolstered the existing support and well-being programmes we already have in place for our staff across the business.”

Local Care Force are joining a wide movement of over 450 organisation that have also signed up to the Time to Change pledge, which includes, E.ON, British Gas. Royal Mai, Shell, Barclays, Pepsico, numerous NHS trusts, universities, the list goes on.

The Interim Director of Time to Change, Jo Loughran 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. Everyone’s attitude makes a difference and it’s fantastic to see organisations like Local Care Force taking the lead. “

“Many leading employers have found that making a strategic commitment to the mental wellbeing of their workforce not only benefits their staff but also their bottom-line, improving productivity and staff retention. With one in six British workers experiencing mental illness it’s time for businesses to make a change and start creating more mentally healthy workplaces.”

Time to Change is funded by a number of different sectors such as the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund. It’s set up to create a positive shift of attitude towards mental health problems. Time to Change supports communities, schools and workplaces and encourages people to open up to mental health problems; to talk and listen.