With an already overwhelmed NHS system, they were then dealt with the battle of a 2-year pandemic. As the pandemic unfolded, all resources needed to be diverted, but as a consequence we know this had a dramatic effect upon those that were already waiting for treatments.

Take Mental Health, not only did the majority of treatments and services cease during the pandemic but also cases soared. The effects of living in isolation, working from home and long Covid left the most sociable of people anxious about going out of their front door.

People found themselves suddenly trying to cope with financial hardship and children suffered from lack of normal routine when schools closed, putting compounded pressure on any family unit.

According to The World Health Organisation, anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25% in just the first year of the pandemic and from the Office of National Statistics we have learned that depression rates have doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

So where do we go as a country? How do we effectively support and ensure the populations resilience in a recession?

On 12th April 2022 a call for evidence was opened by the government to inform a new 10-year mental health plan. People who have lived experience of mental health and care professionals will have 12 weeks to share their thoughts on how the 10-year plan should look to include a new national suicide prevention plan.

£500 million has already been made available to support groups with particular investment going to young people and those with severe mental illness.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid has said: “The sooner someone receives support when they are struggling with their mental health, the more likely it is they will recover”.

Simon Blake, Chief Executive, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England said: “We are transforming mental health services in England with an extra £2.3 billion a year. This includes expanding talking therapies to ensure 1.9 million people will be able to access them by the financial year 2023 to 2024, and give an additional 345,000 children access to NHS-funded services or school and college-based support by 2024”.

It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but will it be enough? Only time will tell. In the meantime, Parliament is discussing making mental health first aid an equivalent with physical first aid, making employers accountable for recognising and taking action when an employee needs support. I have definitely seen the benefits of having a mental health support team in place here at Samsic UK, but know only too well that the infrastructure for signposting employees onto more specialist help is just not out there at the moment.

Mental Health Week 9th – 13th May 2022

The purpose of Mental Health week is to raise awareness, educate and change perceptions of the stigma surrounding the topic of Mental Health.

Many people who struggle with its symptoms don’t even realise that what they are feeling is termed as mental ill health.

There are many types of mental ill health, from stress and anxiety to long-term issues requiring medical intervention like Bipolar disorder. Mental ill health doesn’t discriminate. It can happen to anyone.

Early signs of stress can be:

  • Broken sleep
  • Worrying about things from the minute we wake up until the moment we fall asleep
  • Not eating properly
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Not being ‘your usual self’
  • Headaches or dizzy spells
  • Muscle pains
  • Being forgetful
  • Stomach issues
  • Chest pain
  • Skin rashes

Others may notice these signs before you do and may ask you if you are ok. Trying to hide how you feel won’t help, its always better to find someone you can speak to.

For those of you that don’t know who to turn to, your Samsic Mental Health Team are here and waiting for you to reach out. Each member of the team has been trained to listen with respect and without prejudice or assumption. We are led by your requirements and together we agree a plan, this can include your preferred method of contact, how often you prefer us to get in touch and what you hope to achieve out of it.

We can be a listening ear until your more formal support comes through e.g., NHS Counselling sessions or we can support you by helping you look for specialists’ groups and organisations.

Whatever the reason for your need for support we are here for you, there are no exclusions from obtaining our support and our team have knowledge and understanding of all scenario’s. As part of your plan, we can pair you with the most appropriate person, maybe even someone who has already gone through what you are experiencing.

So please reach out today by calling or texting 07833 137539 or email us on mhsupport@samsic.uk

There are also many short courses available to you on our LMS from ‘Mental Health Awareness’ to ‘Building Resilience’ including video’s on ‘Relaxation Techniques’, ‘Financial Wellbeing’ and ‘Healthy Living’.