Whilst the awareness of mental health issues has increased in the past few years, it is evident that the pandemic had a detrimental effect on a lot of people’s wellbeing, with the repercussions of this still being seen.
The Government is set to take steps to combat this, as part of its agenda to ‘level up’, by first inviting the public to offer their thoughts on how wellbeing can be improved across the country.
This call for evidence will be open to all of the public and is designed to inform the Government’s 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing in England.
This offers a great opportunity for people to get their voices heard, especially if they have been personally by mental health problems, including children, young people, and adults.
Individuals that have cared for someone suffering from mental ill-health, either professionally or personally, are encouraged to offer their views, as well as academics in the field.
Why is mental health so important?
Across the UK, it is estimated that around one in four people will experience a mental-health-related problem each year, according to Mind.
This is a huge proportion of the population, with the most common diagnosis being mixed anxiety and depression (with eight in 100 people being diagnosed per week).
Suffering from a mental health disorder can have a debilitating impact on an individual’s day to day life, which is why it is essential for improving wellbeing to be a key focus.
The call for evidence is a step in the right direction, as people need to have support readily available, such as counselling or medication if required.
The wider stigma of ill mental health should also be challenged within society, which could be achieved through raising awareness.
The call for evidence will be closing on 5 July 2022 at 11:45pm; you can complete the survey here.
