THE British Safety Council is offering training to help with mental health conversations in the workplace in the Crediton area and nationally.

A "Business in the Community" report shows that 60 per cent of employees have experienced a mental health problem due to work and 31 per cent have been formally diagnosed with a mental health issue.

The cost of poor mental health to the UK economy has been estimated at between £74 - £99 billion per year, according to the report "Thriving at Work".

Published in October 2017, the report contains the recommendations of the review into workplace mental health, commissioned by the Prime Minister.

Recognising the magnitude of the problem and its human cost, the British Safety Council has launched a range of mental health training courses which are designed to start conversations about mental health and support employees who are experiencing mental ill-health.

One of the main challenges of dealing with mental ill-health in the workplace is the stigma associated with it, which makes it difficult for people to admit that they are affected.

Talking about mental health is one of the ways of addressing this stigma.

The British Safety Council’s "Start the Conversation" is a 45-minute session which aims to get employees thinking about mental wellbeing and talking about it.

The next stage is a three-hour "Manage the Conversation" workshop to give managers the skills and confidence to listen to and talk with someone who needs to share a problem regarding their mental wellbeing.

The British Safety Council also offers the two-day "Mental Health First Aid" course, developed by "Mental Health First Aid England", which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

It may save someone’s life to talk about their mental health.

Every week, more than 100 people take their own lives in the UK according to the mental health charity, Mind.

Talking may help someone to stay in work - 300,000 people with long-term mental health problems lose their jobs each year according to the "Thriving at Work" report.

In a business mental ill-health expresses itself in poor productivity, increased staff turnover, absenteeism and presenteeism.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said: “Acting on the recommendations of the Stevenson-Farmer review of mental health and using our extensive training expertise, we have developed much needed tools to help people start and manage these difficult conversations about mental health.

“These practical courses will support the development of a positive mental health culture in any organisation, regardless of its size and budget.

"By learning how to start and engage in open conversations about mental health we could help to save someone’s life one day.”