Supporting people with mental health problems to return to and remain in work was the theme of a special conference in Cowes on 9th October 2008.

The event was arranged to take place as close as possible to World Mental Health Day on 10th October which is an international initiative to raise the profile of an issue which affects more than half of us at some time in our lives.

The conference was due to be attended by around 100 invited guests including health and local authority staff working in mental health, representatives from the voluntary and community sector, mental health service users and carers and others with a particular interest in the subject.

During the event, which was Chaired by the Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, Kevin Smith, delegates will hear about current health and social care policy and changes to incapacity benefit and the support provided by the Department of Work and Pensions to help people back into employment.

There will also be an overview of Employment Support Allowance and presentations from employees with mental health problems and their employers from a personal perspective.

The aim of World Mental Health Awareness Day in the broadest sense is to promote positive attitudes to and understanding of mental health, to reduce stigma and promote mental wellbeing.

National research has shown that one in six people experience mental health problems at any one time and more than half will have such a problem at some time in their lives.  Less than 40% of employers would consider employing someone with a mental health problem and an estimated 80 million workdays are lost every year through stress, depression and anxiety. 

According to the Department of Health, not addressing mental health issues in the workplace is costing business and the public sector around £9 billion a year.

Helen Shields, Director of Commissioning for the Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust, said:

“It is important that the whole issue of how we support people with mental health problems is addressed by a wide range of public and private sector concerns. 

The conference is a timely reminder of the need to do more to ensure people with such problems have real employment opportunities and jobs they can stay in beyond the short-term.

“The local NHS and the Island Council have just launched a new joint Commissioning Strategy for Mental Health which features this particular issue strongly.