Today we are celebrating World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is ‘mental health in an unequal world’. The theme highlights how the number of people living in poverty grows.
The history of World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day occurred for the first time on the 10th of October 1992. It started as an annual activity run by the World Federation for Mental Health. In the beginning, the purpose of the day was general and focused on promoting mental health and educating the public about the relevant issues. Over time, the event grew, and by 1996, there was a theme for each year. You can view all of the World Mental Health Day themes here.
The aim of World Mental Health Day 2021
Today aims to focus on the issues that sustain mental health inequality locally and globally. The World Federation of Mental Health wants to encourage and support civil societies to play a key role in tackling inequality in their local towns and cities. They also want to encourage researchers to share what they know about mental health inequality and create practical methods to approach it.
How the pandemic has impacted people’s mental health
The impact of the pandemic has highlighted the effects of inequality on healthcare and mental health. The pandemic continues to affect people of all ages in many ways, such as illness from the virus, bereavement, isolation and job losses. There are many resourcers and support lines available for anyone struggling during the pandemic.
The NHS, Mind and Samaritans are just a few of the many charities and organisations that can help.
The importance of mental health at Thornbury Community Services
At Thornbury Community Services (TCS), the mental health of our employees is at the forefront of our focus. Our healthcare professionals have 24/7 access to our Wellbeing and Support Hub, an online portal tailored to their mental health and wellbeing needs. The Wellbeing and Support Hub continues to grow with new information and resources added regularly.
Our Supervisions and Appraisals Team are available for confidential wellbeing calls to provide our workers’ welfare and pastoral support. The team can offer support and signpost our workers to the relevant services for issues outside of professional responsibilities.
At TCS, We regularly run mental health workshops and courses that focus on promoting emotional health and resilience in the workplace to improve staff wellbeing and productivity. The workshops allow us to identify the triggers of stress and pinpoint the sources of support available.
We also have an Employee Assistance Programme which is a personal support service that’s available 24/7. Whether our employees need practical advice on everyday issues, childcare questions or counselling support, the Employee Assistance Programme is there to help.
At Thornbury Community Services, we are always supporting events and campaigns throughout the year. To keep up to date with what we’re up to, follow our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
The information in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised guidance. The author(s) and publisher(s) are not liable for errors or omissions, and reliance on the content is at your own risk.