5 tips to a mentally healthy practice
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October is World Mental Health Day (WMHD) – a day for global mental health
education, awareness and advocacy.
WMHD is an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, and Mental Health Australia leads the campaign in Australia. The theme
for this year’s WMHD is Mental Health in the Workplace.
We
encourage our members to take the time today to reflect on what you can do in
your practice to ensure the mental wellbeing of yourself and your staff.
Measures
you may consider implementing include:
- Leading by example. Take a positive and healthy approach to work, for example, by ensuring work–life balance.
- Ensuring you and your staff have manageable workloads. Fatigue caused by working too many hours can trigger stress-related illness.
- Discussing any issues you are having at work that are causing you distress – and encourage other to do so. Talking out the problem can often lead to a solution.
- Addressing any issues such as bullying or discrimination immediately. Bullying and discrimination in the workplace are major causes of mental illness. You must take positive steps to eliminate these triggers.
- Making everyone in the practice aware of what help is available to them should they need it. Keep the following ADAVB contacts handy:
- Member assistance service for personal and private counselling on family/life and workplace matters (ph: 1300 361 008)
- HR advisory service and hotline for help with industrial issues (ph: 1300 232 462)
- Professional consultants for advice on professional and compliance matters and Community relations officers who are on hand every day to offer dispute assistance – for members insured under the Branch Indemnity Scheme (ph: 8825 4600).
- Beyond Blue (ph: 1300 22 4636)
- Lifeline (ph: 13 11 14)
- Sane Australia (ph: 1800 18 7263)
- Suicide Call Back Service (ph: 1300 659 467)
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