Our response to The Keep Britain Working review

Today an independent review of the role of employers in tackling health based economic inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces was published. In response to The Keep Britain Working review, Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive at Rethink Mental Illness responded:

“The Keep Britain Working" review is a timely and welcome call to action on how the UK can create a healthier, fairer and more productive workforce. For too long, people severely affected by mental illness have been left behind by systems that fail to support them to stay in, or return to, meaningful work.

“Work can play an important role in recovery and in maintaining good mental health, but only when the right support is in place. Too often, people living with severe mental illness face a complex web of barriers including stigma, patchy access to occupational health, and rigid workplace practices that do not recognise fluctuating conditions. As the review rightly points out, poor mental health is now one of the biggest drivers of economic inactivity, and we cannot address that without tackling the deep inequalities faced by those living with the most serious conditions.

“We welcome the review’s ambition to build evidence-based employer standards and create a Workplace Health Intelligence Unit to support change. For these reforms to succeed, they must include people with lived experience of severe mental illness from the start, shaping what ‘good work’ looks like and ensuring that new frameworks are inclusive by design."

“The proposed Vanguard employers have an important opportunity to lead by example, by developing and testing workplace health provision that actively supports those most at risk of being excluded from employment. That includes tailored stay-in-work and return-to-work plans, rapid access to support for mental illness, and flexibility that recognises the realities of managing a long-term condition.

“We know from our own work with employers and communities that when people living with severe mental illness are given the right support, they can and do thrive at work. This review sets out a pathway towards that goal – and we look forward to working with government, employers and the wider sector to make it a reality.

“While the report right focuses on work, we can’t ignore the connection between rising numbers of people out of work due to mental illness, and long waits for treatment on the NHS. For workplaces to thrive, we also need to tackle the growing waiting lists for mental health services which mean 1.8 million people are currently waiting for community mental health care.”

You can read the full report by visiting the Keep Britain Working Review on Gov.UK