04/01/2010 - Submitted by: Lynch Leonie

This document establishes a cross-government approach to tackling this cost and waste. It has been developed with the support of Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work, who consulted mental health specialists, senior academics, representatives from business and third sector organisations, as well as people with mental health conditions. The framework for action has a dual approach. It is designed to:

• Improve well-being at work for everyone; and
• Deliver significantly better employment results for people with mental health conditions, supporting then into work, helping them to stay in work and assisting them to return to work more quickly after sickness absences.

This is a challenging agenda – made even more so by the current economic conditions. But the Government believes the economic climate makes it even more important to step in to help people through new and effective solutions. The framework identifies six key areas where action is vital to achieve our goals. They are:

• Action to change attitudes to mental health.
• Action to improve health and well-being at work for the whole population.
• Swift intervention when things go wrong.
• Co-ordinated help tailored to individuals’ needs both in and out of work.
• Action to build resilience from early years and throughout working lives.
• Co-ordinated action across government to ensure we deliver success. Action on employment and mental health must be a long-term commitment.

The wider aim of this comprehensive programme for action is to influence future policy development across governments, departments and throughout the wider public sector, and bring about changes in behaviour in organisations and individuals. And it is designed to build a long-term commitment to joint working between Government and its partners. Together we can work our way to better mental health.