Legislative Change for Mental Health First Aid

by danielbarker on 18 October, 2016

The letter below was circulated in my office. For info, Norman Lamb is a Lib. Dem. MP:

Dear MHFAider,
On World Mental Health Day 10th October 2016 I made the exciting announcement that we are supporting Norman Lamb MP in his bid to bring parity of esteem to mental and physical health in the workplace.

Today, Mr Lamb lodged an Early Day Motion which is calling on the government to amend the regulations contained within the Health at Work Act which require employers to train staff in First Aid. This amendment would require employers to include mental health within this First Aid provision. We are now calling on you all help make this legislative change a reality by lobbying your local MP to sign the Early Day Motion. We would also encourage you to share this email within your networks and ask those who are interested in workplace wellbeing to do the same.

The text to the Early Day Motion is as follows:

“That this House notes with concern that the current first aid legislation fails to make adequate provision for mental ill health; further notes that the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 neglect the mental health of employees, and that the examples of health problems requiring first aid in the Health and Safety Executive’s Guidance on the Regulations relate exclusively to physical health; acknowledges that the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 refer to the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities, but that this does not address mental health issues caused by factors outside of work but which may nevertheless affect health and wellbeing in the workplace; recognises that only 43 per cent of people with mental health problems are in employment, compared to 74 per cent of the general population and 65 per cent of people with other health conditions, with the cost of mental illness to the economy estimated at around £105 billion annually; believes that addressing mental health more effectively in the workplace, in order to help people recover and avoid people falling out of work, must be a key public policy objective; and therefore urges the Government to commit to the principle of equality for mental health in the workplace by amending first aid regulations and guidance to require every organisation to have trained Mental Health First Aiders, and to ensure that employers are aware that their first aid obligations relate both to physical and mental health issues.”

Please write/email your MP and ask them to sign Early Day Motion 505.

We will be sure to keep all of you updated on this potentially monumental shift in how First Aid is viewed and regulated in the workplace so please keep your eyes and ears peeled for further news via our newsletter and website.

Kind regards

Poppy Jaman

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