Mental health refers to how we think, feel and behave. It is common to all of us and can be described as a state in which we are able to cope with the ‘normal’ stresses of everyday life, while being able to work productively, interact well with colleagues and customers and generally make a valuable contribution at work. To ensure NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) can provide as much support as possible.
Mental health is just as important as physical health. You cannot have one without the other.
Mental health is not a fixed state of being. It is a continuum, ranging from having good mental health to poor mental health, and from having no diagnosis to a diagnosis of severe mental ill-health. A person will vary in their position along this continuum at different points in their life.
A person in good mental health will feel in control of their emotions, have good cognitive functioning and positive interactions with people around them. This state allows a person to perform well at work, in their studies, and in family and other social relationships.
Mental ill-health covers any conditions that affect a persons’ state of mind.
One in four of you will experience a mental health issue in any given year.
Between one in five and one in six working age adults is depressed, anxious or experiencing stress-related problems at any one time.
Throughout the course of your life it is highly likely that you will either develop mental ill-health yourself or have close contact with someone who does.
Mental ill-health can manifest in different ways. Some employees may suffer with no physical side effects, while others may experience physical symptoms (e.g. increased blood pressure, lethargy, changes in eating habits).
Common mental ill-health conditions include:
Less common mental ill-health conditions include:
A mental health condition can be considered a disability if it has / is likely to have a long-term (more than 12 months) effect on your ability to complete normal day-to-day activities, such as using a computer, getting dressed for work, working set shift patterns, or interacting with people. If this is the case, you are protected by the Equality Act 2010, your manager must make reasonable adjustments for you, and you must not be disadvantaged or discriminated against compared to non-disabled colleagues.
NHS Blood and Transplant - Mental Health Policy
Whilst stress is not a mental health condition or an illness, there are strong links between stress and mental ill-health
You may experience mental health issues for various reasons that NHSBT cannot control, for example, hereditary factors, relationship issues, health issues, late nights, housing issues, debt, social isolation, sexuality, acute life events, abuse in childhood, traumatic events, or substance misuse.
But, there could also be work-related reasons for mental health problems, including, job insecurity, excessive pressure, work-life imbalance, lack of appreciation, hostile workplace conditions, unsatisfactory job or workload, unpleasant relationships with colleagues or managers.
Some signs to look for in yourself or others. It is a change in behaviours which are ‘normal’ to yourself or others which it is key to notice.
It is also important to note that these signs and symptoms may be unrelated to mental ill-health, so do not make assumptions.
If you feel your mental health starting to suffer there are several things that you can do to help yourself:
Other things that you can do to help keep yourself feeling well are as follows:
This masterclass is designed with line managers in mind, to give them some hints and tips on what mental health is, how it can affect people in the workplace and what they could and should do to support their team. It is approximately 30 minutes long and has audio to support the slides, so please have your headphones to hand
*Information is only accessible if you are logged in to the NHSBT network (network connection through Citrix/NHSBT Desktop). As a result it may take a moment to load
Online: Raise My HR Direct Query
Phone: 0117 3227700
Email: hrdirect@nhsbt.nhs.uk
Address 500, North Bristol Park,
Filton,
Bristol
BS34 7QH
© NHSBT, all rights reserved