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NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership sign the pledge to change how we all think and act about mental health

Neil Frow signs the pledge

The NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) has today signed an employer pledge with Time to Change Wales; the first national campaign to end stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, which is delivered by two of Wales’ leading mental health charities, Hafal and Mind Cymru.

By signing the pledge, NWSSP is committing to change the way we all think and act about mental health at work.

The signing ceremony took place virtually and representatives from Shared Services will pledge their support to Time to Change Wales, with an action plan of activity that will help to break the silence that surrounds mental health in the workplace.

NWSSP is an independent mutual organisation, owned and directed by NHS Wales. It was set up on 1st April 2011 to provide a range of high quality, customer-focused professional, technical and administrative services on behalf of all Health Boards and Trusts in NHS Wales.

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership joins the growing movement of over 150 organisations that have signed up to the Time to Change Wales pledge, including the Welsh Government, Lloyds Bank, Admiral Insurance, Transport for Wales and Cardiff University.

Lowri Wyn Jones, Programme Manager for Time to Change Wales said: “We are delighted that NWSSP have made a pledge to take positive steps to help tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in their organisation. We have worked with Shared Services to develop a comprehensive action plan to sit at the heart of their pledge so that practical action is taken to tackle stigma at every level of the organisation.

Mental health problems is the leading cause of sickness absence in the workplace, with 1 in 6 workers experiencing symptoms of depression, stress or anxiety. The cost of mental health problems in Wales is estimated at £7.2 billion a year in loss of output, healthcare bills and social benefits; which is why there is both a strong moral and business case to step up and create more mentally healthy workplaces.”

Time to Change Wales is funded by Comic Relief and the Welsh Government. Set up to create a positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems, Time to Change Wales supports communities and workplaces to open up to mental health problems; to talk and to listen.