The UK’s Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies has produced an annual report stating that there are signs funding was being cut to mental health services when the cost to the economy was rising.

Her annual report said mental illness led to the loss of 70 million working days last year – up 24% since 2009.

As well as calling for greater emphasis on mental illness in the NHS, she also said employers could play a role too.

She recommended they allowed people with mental health problems the option of flexible working to keep them in employment and maintaining regular contact during sickness leave.

She went on to say that employers can make a significant difference to the health of their staff.

“They can make it by actually talking about it, knowing how their people are, whether they have ill health, supporting them by giving them flexible working if they need it, by reducing stigma.”

Dame Sally also said that if an employee went sick, an employer could call them up “sensitively and talk to them, you can help them get back to work earlier”.

Healthy Performance provide Stress Workshops which can address issues in the workplace and can provide resilience tips which will allow staff to recognise and better handle the causes of stress.

For further information on Dame Sally’s report please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cmos-annual-report-employment-is-good-for-mental-health