The Implementation Framework to support organisations to achieve the 6 'high level objectives' of the National Mental Health strategy No Health without Mental Health has been published.
The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Care Services Minister Paul Burstow called upon employers to take 3 simple steps to improve the mental health of their workforce:
- Time to Change: end mental health discrimination
- Get First Aid training for staff and raise awareness in your company of mental health issues
- Call for Help: Medium and small businesses can use the new work advice-line for England 0800 0778844 or access support via www.health4work.nhs.uk
Although the implementation framework has little explicit reference to alcohol, it does advocate that "health services tackle smoking, obesity and co-morbidity...and support those with dual diagnosis of mental health and substance misuse, to improve outcomes and reduce costs".
Mental health service providers are encouraged to improve the physical health and well-being of their clients by "tackling smoking, weight management, malnutrition and drug and alcohol misuse" by providing opportunities such as regular health checks and recovery-focused care planning.
Alcohol has a complex relationship with mental health, and may both cause or exacerbate existing problems. It is frequently a drug of choice for people with mental health problems seeking to ameliorate symptoms. There is a known link between alcohol consumption and suicide risk, although alcohol use is also linked with a range of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and sleep problems.
The Mental Health Foundation have set out some of the ways in which alcohol and mental health are linked. A briefing paper by Alcohol Concern also highlights the links between alcohol use and mental health co-morbidity. This year The Royal College of Psychiatrists released guidance for Commissioners of Mental Health Liaison Services in Acute Care.
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