What are the strengths and weaknesses of measures currently taken to protect and promote health in work-places, particularly in relation to mental demands?
Looking forward, what do you see as the main opportuni-ties and threats, affecting the protection and promotion of health in workplaces, particularly in relation to mental demands?
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
New special services to follow up with people with mental health problems in the primary health care
• Cutbacks in the administra-tion of occupaadministra-tional safety and health
• Increase promotion for this programme in primary care.
• Increase access to CBT clinics
• Increase access to psycholo-gists in primary care
• More education and inter-ventions in the workplace, more prevention, i.e. more flexibility, focus on getting up and move regularly, look at canteens, access to fruits
• Continuing cutbacks in the health care system
• invisibility
Maternal and child health services (which have high coverage) visit parents with a new-born and evaluate home situations
• Cutbacks in primary health care
FMB – joint project between the psychiatric unit and maternal- and child health unit at the university hospital, Landspitali.
For parents with psychiatric illnesses that are expecting a child or have a child under 12 months. Help with attachment issues
http://www.landspitali.
is/?PageID=16572
• More follow up needed
• More services for fathers needed
• More focus is needed on women who have history of substance abuse
• Further development with this programme
• Reach a wider group
• Continuing cutbacks in the health care system
• Hiring freeze at LSH
Work with support (AMS) at the Directorate of labour
• Lack of research on efficiency to continue development
Increase support for a wider group with impaired work abilities
The employment market is not open enough
Good educational system in
Iceland • People are often young
when they are diagnosed with a psychiatric illness and therefore do not finish higher education
• Rigid loan system for univer-sity studies, i.e. no student loans if you are not a full time student
Increased awareness among en-terprises (and especially larger enterprises) on the importance of health and safety at work Directorate of health is working on health promotion in the workplace, in accordance with other health promoting pro-jects, such as health promoting schools (three school stages,
What are the strengths and weaknesses of measures currently taken to protect and promote health in work-places, particularly in relation to mental demands?
Looking forward, what do you see as the main opportuni-ties and threats, affecting the protection and promotion of health in workplaces, particularly in relation to mental demands? workplace surveys – in order to monitor employee satisfaction and attitudes towards their work and management
Less interest in taking part – as
the survey is done annually Make action plans to improve companies, adjust work organi-sation to employees needs and increase social support
Many action plans are not followed through
Less hiring – leading to more
demands on existing employees • More burnout and more
sickness absence (because of more work related demands)
• More supply of workers lead-ing to those who are more employees well – where there is higher job satisfaction
Survey used in order to promote company instead of taking care of the employees
Strong welfare system, low-cost medical care for patients, health promoting initiatives (especially regarding physical activity)
Psychological treatment is expensive (not official part of health care), lack of under-standing of the importance of psychological stress as a risk for negative health outcomes, lack of initiatives aimed at increasing mental health
Increased awareness about the importance of mental health regarding physical outcomes (and hence opportunity for em-ployers to lower cost (absence from work)
Budget cuts. Increased mental disorders (stress, depression) among employees / the popu-lation following the economic crises.
What would be your three most important recommendations for improving the protection and promotion of health in workplaces, particularly in relation to mental demands?
Systematic psychosocial risk analysis in workplaces and follow-up procedures in order to limit risks and increase mental well-being in work-places
Better management quality and more professional human resource management
More tolerance and understanding towards people with mental illness in the job market – need to provide more job opportunities Better procedures regarding return to work after mental illness period
Provide information on early symptoms on mental health problems to employees, along with simple actions.
Create a mental health policy for the workplace – with the aim of increasing mental health (measurable goals, etc) Provide access to mental health support if needed
What are the strengths and weaknesses of measures currently taken to support employees who are affected by mental health problems?
What future opportunities and threats do you see with re-gard to the support for employees affected by mental health problems?
Less right for those who have no
or insufficient working history Increase education both for
employees and employers Icelanders are more negative towards employment of people with mental health problems and mental retardation than people with other kinds of disabilities
• Work rehabilitation fund to help people get back to working or keep them from dropping out of work due to sickness.
• www.virk.is
New laws in 2012 about set donations from employers, pension funds and the gov-ernment (37 % of clients are there because of psychiatric problems)
• Promote work rehabilitation in accordance with other systems
• More wholesome services for individuals with impaired work abilities
• Increase help for those who are at risk of dropping out of the job market
• Of people who are on disabil-ity due to mental illness, 40 % have nothing to do during the day
• The fund might not reach all who could benefit from work rehabilitation
• People with mental illness may be at risk of going on permanent disability pension and not return to work after long term sickness absence Directorate of labour has a
special programme for young people with mental health difficulties, it aims at getting employment and keeping it
Directorate of labour is expe-riencing big cutbacks this year, the influences are yet to be seen
Mental health issues are being more openly discussed that sponsors people to take certain classes to increase their oppor-tunities of getting employment (i.e. computer skills and such), they also have a longer term programme of education
Sometimes involvement with people who are long term un-employed is much to late
• Increase availability of courses and educational pro-grammes that are sponsored by the government
• Encourage those seeking employment to be more ac-tive with special projects, i.e.
better computer access
Not everyone is seriously invested in the educational programmes they attend
The ministry of welfare put together a group, “Welfare watch”, in early 2009 to monitor people’s situations following the economic crises. It has monitored employment, issues rehabil-itation are needed and special support into the homes in some cases.
The majority act from 1997 is under revision so that instead of a family member having to ask for a patient to lose his autonomy it will be in the hands of social services or doctors http://eng.innanrikisraduneyti.
is/laws-and-regulations/english/
legal-competence/
More focus on work
rehabilita-tion and more funding for it We need more people educated
in the field Early intervention – lower the
incidence of disability • Much needed – fast growing trend in work rehabilitation
• Dissatisfaction with the cost amongst some of those that pay for the fund
Active workplace project (virkur vinnustaður). Systematically cre-ate an absence policy, to lessen absenteeism and help people back to work after long time sick leave (4 weeks or more) http://www.virk.is/is/virkur- vinnustadur
What are the strengths and weaknesses of measures currently taken to support employees who are affected by mental health problems
What future opportunities and threats do you see with re-gard to the support for employees affected by mental health problems?
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
Many companies are develop-ing sickness absence policies to monitor and limit sickness absence
Sickness absence policy may not accommodate well enough those with mental disabilities
Follow up and more under-standing that is not necessarily therapeutic / health promoting to stay home on sick leave – working can be health promot-ing in itself
Lack of motivation, lack of time More intensive rehabilitation
for i.e. fibromyalgia, depression and more
Long waiting lists, have to take extensive sick leave (which they must have earned)
That it becomes a norm that people can take extensive sick leave for rehabilitation Rehabilitating educational
opportunities for people on long term unemployment or sick leave
Monetary issues Education through the school systems to normalize mental health problems to avoid stig-matization
What would be your three most important recommendations for improving support for employees affected by mental health problems?
Focus and resources on early intervention to keep people in employment Follow up for those who have been hospitalized or on sick leave
Family therapy – prevent that social problems are inherited through generations.
Increase education in the work place for individuals as well as companies
IRELAND
Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-being:
Mental Health at the Workplace
PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AT THE WORKPLACE
prepared by
• Patricia Murray, Senior Organisational Psychologist, Health and Safety Authority, (HSS) Dublin, Ireland.