Stevenson/Farmer Review

We recommend that all employers, regardless of workplace type, industry or size adopt the mental health core standards. This will ensure 'breadth' of change across the UK workforce and lay the foundations for going further, and can be delivered proportionally depending on the size and type of business. The mental health core standards should provide a framework for workplace mental health and we have designed them in a way that they can be tailored to suit a variety of workplaces and be implemented by even the smallest employers. We believe all employers can and should: 1. Produce, implement and communicate a mental health at work plan 2. Develop mental health awareness among employees 3. Encourage open conversations about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling 4. Provide your employees with good working conditions 5. Promote effective people management 6. Routinely monitor employee mental health and wellbeing.

We recommend that the Equality and Human Rights Commission considers taking a more proactive role in monitoring and taking enforcement action against employers that discriminate against individuals on the grounds of mental health.

We recommend that the Health and Safety Executive revise its guidance to raise employer awareness of their duty to assess and manage work-related mental ill-health.

We recommend that the Health and Safety Executive builds on its risk assessment guidance and Management Standards approach by highlighting how these actions will help employers deliver key parts of the mental health core standards.

We recommend that Local Authorities adopt the same recommendations as the Health and Safety Executive throughout its guidance and practices, and ensure join up between its public health and health and safety enforcement roles.

We recommend that all public sector workforces should implement the mental health core and enhanced standards.

We recommend that public sector regulatory bodies who are regularly in contact with public sector employees include the employer's approach to employee mental health in their assessments.

We recommend that all Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executives and equivalent senior leaders across the public sector, have a performance objective to support the mental wellbeing of all employees, through the implementation of the core and enhanced standards.

We recommend that NHS England continues to develop its current offer on mental health in the Healthy Workforce Programme and other on-going initiatives, and look to ensure that every NHS Trust arms NHS employees with basic tools for prevention and self-care.

We recommend that the Department for Education implement the commitments in the published workload action plan and consider how teacher mental health can be incorporated into school mental health strategies, including the upcoming Children and Young People's Mental Health Green Paper.

We recommend that, in addition to its existing initiatives to train senior leaders and coaches in mental wellness, the Civil Service reviews and enhances mental health training for all grades and ensures all Departments have a planned approach to ensuring employees have received training appropriate for their role.

We recommend that all public sector employers and the 3,500 private sector companies with more than 500 employees, deliver the following mental health enhanced standards which will reach 46% of employees: 1. Increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting. 2. Demonstrate accountability 3. Improve the disclosure process 4. Ensure provision of tailored in-house mental health support and signposting to clinical help

We recommend that public sector employers should identify employees at higher risk of stress or trauma and produce a national framework which coordinates support for these employees and establishes clear accountability for their mental health.

We recommend the formation of a mental health online information portal, co-produced by the voluntary, public and private sector, to promote best practice and enable employers of all sizes to implement the mental health core and enhanced standards.

We recommend that Government aligns the fragmented occupational health and practical support available currently from Access to Work, the Fit for Work Service and other NHS services to create an integrated in-work support service to better support the needs of those with mental illness, and other physical health conditions and disabilities.

We recommend Government protects and promotes the current tax relief for employers to invest in the mental health of their employees.

We recommend Government explores the potential to incentivise employers, especially SMEs, to implement the mental health core standards, including building on evidence from the West Midlands 'wellbeing premium' trial.

We recommend that public bodies encourage their suppliers to implement the mental health core standards.

We recommend that the Government consider legislative change to enhance protections for employees with mental health conditions, particularly fluctuating mental health conditions and clarify the role of employers in providing reasonable adjustments.

We recommend that Government examine what more it can do to require employer compliance with existing equalities and employment laws.

We recommend that Government develops a new flexible model for Statutory Sick Pay to better support those with a mental health condition, where willing and able, to return to work on a voluntary phased return and receive wages and SSP on a pro-rata basis.

In England, the NHS and Government should fully implement the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, and the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Assembly should consider how best to prioritise mental health in line with local needs.

We recommend that Government considers amending legislation and guidance, for example the Companies Act, to encourage employers to report on workplace mental health on their website or other channels

We recommend that the Government and NHS bodies enable and encourage IAPT and other mental health services to provide quick and convenient access to care to fit around employment.

We recommend that NHS bodies should provide clear ratings for apps and other digital platforms which provide mental health support.

We recommend that the responsibility for completing fit notes is extended to mental health professionals and Government considers how to further improve communication between health professionals, employees and employers where appropriate.

We recommend that Government and the NHS work to improve patient access to their personal health record, empowering employees to share their data and information with their employer when they wish to do so, where it can be done safely and securely, to support people to thrive in work.

We recommend that Government invites leaders from a variety of organisations to join a Leadership Council to maintain the momentum built by this review.

We recommend that Government and other organisations should focus information, support and funding to support small and medium sized employers to implement the mental health core standards, and ensure the impact of this is evaluated.

We recommend that online platforms with large reach amongst self-employed workers link up with NHS-approved health and wellbeing support to provide mental health support and advice which can be accessed by those working through their technology.

We recommend that the relevant Government Departments explore ways of supporting and encouraging local networks, particularly through City Regions and combined authorities, to develop integrated approaches to improving workplace mental health.

Given the clear links between mental health and productivity, we invite 'Be the business' and similar initiatives to incorporate employee mental health in their tools and information.

We recommend that Government streamlines research and activity relating to workplace mental health to drive evidence-building and innovation, putting it at the heart of the 10 year research strategy.

We welcome the adoption of workplace mental health indicators in employer rating initiatives.

We recommend that Government funded mental health campaigns include information and support for improving workplace mental health, and that where possible their impact is evaluated.

We recommend that industry groups provide guidance and support to enable employers to implement the mental health core standards, and take steps to support increased employer transparency and accountability on workplace mental health.

We recommend that professional bodies with responsibility for training or accrediting professional qualifications should include workplace mental health in their training programmes and assessments.

We would welcome industry efforts to support employers to be able to better understand and compare Employment Assistance Programmes and Occupational Health services by developing standards, and by developing online comparison tools.

We recommend that insurers explore how they could support and reward employers, in particular SMEs, who adopt preventative policies and provide mental health support to their employees.

We recommend that workplace regulators use the most suitable regulatory approaches available to them to encourage the take up of the mental health core standards amongst employers.