Harrogate charity says mental health key issue as people go back to work from lockdown

The charity says it wants to businesses to help deal with the impact of Covid 19 on the mental health of their employees as they return to work after lockdown.

The offer follows the latest Government guidance about asking people to work from home where they can.

Tina Chamberlain, executive officer of Mind in Harrogate believes that where mental health issues are concerned, Mind in Harrogate can help businesses to deal with their responsibilities as employers.

She said: "For many people Covid 19 and lockdown will have turned their world upside down.

"Many people will have been trying to cope with home working, home schooling and related child care issues leading to a poor work-life balance.

"As we move out of lockdown some employees may be feeling anxious about returning to the workplace and need support.

"At Harrogate Mind we understand the potential impact of Covid 19 on mental health and wish to offer positive solutions to help businesses support their employees as best they can."

Signalling a desire to get workplaces back to business as usual where possible from August 1, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We're going to give employers more discretion and ask them to make decisions about how their staff can work safely."

The pandemic may have originally forced Mind in Harrogate to stop all face-to-face support for people struggling with mental health last but it has continued to provide its services online and over the telephone since late March.

Now it says it is ready to help employees and employers in the return to work.

Mind in Harrogate is offering to support employers in a number of ways to deal with the impact of the pandemic on their workforce.

.

A low cost, confidential BACP accredited Counselling Service is now being offered at the charity’s Acorn Centre on Station Parade.

Mental Health First Aid Training, which teaches people how to identify, understand and help those who may be experiencing a mental health issue is also available for businesses.

Mental Health-related absence is already the most common cause of long-term sickness in the UK workforce, accounting for 54% of working days lost in 2018/19 (HSE 2019).

The current pandemic will have had an increased and significant impact on those now returning to work and in particular, upon their mental health.

Early research into the pandemic and in particular to lockdown suggest that the mental health implications will be felt for many months and even years to come.

Loss of motivation, purpose, increased anxiety and isolation amongst those now returning to work are being cited as the result of months of lockdown.

Employers are being warned that on-going restrictions such as social distancing and self isolation will mean that many employees will continue to be fearful of contracting the virus, anxious about travelling to and from work, as well as worrying about their personal financial and job security.

For further information about how Mind in Harrogate could help your businesses in the aftermath of Covid 19 email: [email protected] or telephone: 01423 503335

National hero Captain Tom in Harrogate for army college visit

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.