LTB 717/18 – Mental Health First Aid Debate in The House Of Commons Today Wednesday 19 December: “Where’s Your Head At?” Campaign

No. 717/2018

19 December 2018

Our Ref: P26/18

 

Mental Health First Aid Debate in The House Of Commons Today Wednesday 19 December: “Where’s Your Head At?” Campaign

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

See attached copy of a recent letter from MHFA England and a copy of my earlier letter to the Prime Minister on this subject.

This is to update Branches on the “Where’s Your Head At?” Campaign proudly supported by the CWU and reported in LTB No. 482/2018 dated 23 August 2018, which calls on Government to change the  law so that employers make First Aid provision for both the mental and physical health of employees, putting physical first aid and mental health first aid on an equal footing.

Following the target having been reached of 200,000 members of the public signing a UK Government and Houses of Parliament petition to ask the Government to make mental health first aid mandatory in the workplace and additionally supported by an open letter sent to the Prime Minister, signed by senior leaders representing business, education, unions and mental health sectors – all calling on the Government to uphold its 2017 manifesto pledge to change the law and put mental and physical first aid on an equal footing in the workplace, it was very recently announced, on 14 December that a parliamentary debate on mental health first aid in the workplace has been scheduled to take place in the House of Commons on Wednesday 19 December (Today).

The debate is sponsored by a cross-party trio of MPs, Luciana Berger MP (Lab), Norman Lamb MP (Lib Dem) and Johnny Mercer MP (Con) and will take place this afternoon. It can be viewed on Parliament TV either live or later on the Parliament TV i-player facility.

A communication has been sent to the CWU group of MPs in Parliament by the General Secretary’s department on this matter. This group meets regularly to discuss developments in the industries our members work in and how to further our key campaigns in parliament.

Attached for your information is a letter to the Prime Minister dated 21 November calling on the Government to deliver on its manifesto commitment to put ‘Mental Health First Aid’ on an equal footing as physical first aid along with the commitment to accept and support the recommendations of the Government commissioned ‘Stevenson/Farmer’ report on Mental Health in the Workplace.

Attached is a letter from ‘Mental Health First Aid England’ thanking the CWU for its support for the “Where’s Your Head At?” Campaign which has helped bring about the progress to date, via the numbers signing the petition and today’s House of Commons debate.

Further reports will be made in due course.

Yours sincerely

 

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB717 Mental Health First Aid Debate in The House Of Commons Today Wednesday 19 December 2018

MHFA England Letter on ‘Where’s Your Head At’ Campaign 14.12.18

Theresa May MHFA Legislation