Simon Jones: Support networks

Most of UK optics is made up of small-medium enterprises. How many business owners and managers can honestly say they have mental health provision in place for their staff? How many managers would know what to say to someone dealing with a mental health issue, beyond “take some time off”?

Official statistics from the charity Mind say that one in four of us in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, one in six of us report experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety and depression in any given week.

There have been great strides made by associations and bodies to help their members deal with mental health issues, which is brilliant, because those in the medical professions are even more like to find their work-life stressful. However, there’s a great number of employee in practices and businesses up and down the country who don’t have that extended support network to deal with issues – work-related or otherwise.