Embargoed:Monday 8th April 2002, 00:01hours
The results of a survey released today by thecharity
Depression Alliance clearly show that many people
with depression, who have sought help from their
employers are still being made ill throughunrealistic
workloads and bad management.
The results, launched at the start of NationalDepression Week (8th 14th April), which this yearis concentrating on depression and work, shows that employers can no longerignore a condition that is as dangerous as cancer and heart disease.
The UK now has one of the highest attempted suiciderates in Europe, with a massive 50% increase since 1990. At least three-quarters of suicides are the result of depression,with more than 7,000 people taking their own lives each year in the UK andIreland.
One of the most striking results from the survey of200 people was the number who had had told their employers about their illnessbut who had received little or no support from managers and were strugglingunder unrealistic workloads. Worryingly,over a quarter of people interviewed (29%) felt their depression was caused ormade worse by unrealistic workloads, with 35% of people blaming bad management.This has serious implications for employers everywhere as the number ofpeople off sick from work increases, costing industry billions of pounds eachyear.
Depression Alliances Director, Jim Thomson, says:
It is incredible that at the beginning of the thirdMillennium, with employers demanding ever-greater commitment from and exertingever-greater pressure on employees, that depression and stress are by and largenot taken seriously in the workplace.The employee affected by depression, often wary of turning to theemployer, simply has no release valve.
In another blow to employers, when asked whetherworkers felt they were always offered the support they needed only 11% wereable to say yes.
Surprisingly, results show that many more people arefinding it easier to inform their colleagues and managers of their illness withonly 1.5% of interviewees declaring that they had not disclosed their illnessto anyone. However, most people interviewed (23%) were only prompted to telltheir employer of their illness after they had been unwell for a period. With people now being moreopen about their condition, Depression Alliance is calling for the governmentand employers to act quickly and responsibly in supporting workers and thosewho are unable to work through depression and stress.
As part of National Depression Week, DepressionAlliance will be launching its training programme aimed at employers andemployees to help them better cope with depression and stress in the workplace.The message behind this years National Depression Week is that earlyintervention and a better understanding of depression and stress in theworkplace will save time, money and lives.
In response to the concerns raised by the survey,Depression Alliance today launches a new hotline to provide preventativeinformation and support to people with depression. Callers to the line willreceive a special Depression Information Pack as well as details of crisissupport lines.The line 0870 240 2822 (calls charged at national rate) is open24 hours a day.