Staff responses to a Healthy Working Lives survey will play a key role in helping NHS Lanarkshire to maintain its HWL Gold Award over the next three years.

Through the survey, staff highlighted a number of areas where they would like further information. One of these areas was around mental health related issues.

Lesley Mackay, HWL Advisor said: “From time to time, we all need some extra practical support or reassurance from our colleagues or our managers.

“HWL have developed both a ‘staff and managers support guide’ and a ‘learning guide’ which give staff key information on where they can access mental health support services.

“These handy guides give details of both on-line supports and contact numbers for local stress control classes, which are available for all.”

The managers’ guide’ focuses on policies that support staff, occupational health referral and guidance on how to support a staff member returning to work following a period of absence.

The Leaning guide gives a quick overview of some of the available awareness sessions and on line learning that can be accessed.

These guides can be accessed through the Healthy Working Lives FirstPort page and are also appendices to the recently revised Stress and Mental Wellbeing Policy.