'£1m a day' saving from work mental health focus

Published on 05/10/2010 17:16

Scottish employers could help save the economy almost £1 million every day by properly investing in mental health support in the workplace, campaigners claim.

The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) have launched their new Dismissed? campaign to try to improve support for people with mental health problems to stay in employment.

Research by the charity found that sickness absence as a result of mental health problems at work cost Scotland's employers around 360m a year - or the equivalent of almost 1m every day.

Research has previously shown that fewer than four in ten employers would consider employing someone with a history of mental health problems, compared to more than six in ten for candidates with a physical disability.

Launching the campaign as part of Scottish Mental Health Awareness Week, SAMH chief executive Billy Watson unveiled a giant representation of the numbers to illustrate the potential savings by focusing on mental health.

Mr Watson said: "Many people with mental health problems in Scotland want to work, but face real difficulties in doing so.

"The Dismissed? campaign is about making sure that people in that situation are properly supported.

"With one in four Scots experiencing mental health problems at some point in their lives, we think this is an issue that all businesses need to be aware of."

Meanwhile, Steve Bell, from the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, added: "With nearly three in every ten employees having a mental health problem of some sort in any one year the response of managers, colleagues and organisations can make a significant difference to someone's recovery."