10 October was World Mental Health Day, which is closely followed by Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month in November. We continue to offer support via our GP Professional Support Network and encourage any GP practising in the Londonwide LMCs area to seek help if they feel their mental health is worsening or may be about to.
On World Mental Health Day we circulated a short animation which highlighted the mental health pressures GPs and their teams are currently facing in London. We also highlighted that Londonwide LMCs has teamed up with Mind to deliver a free virtual workshop, helping staff to recognise and address mental health issues.
We know GPs and practice teams are under a lot of pressure from increased patient demand and longstanding resource shortages. This follows two years of uncertainty and ever-changing lives because of the global pandemic.
Men’s consultation rates for mental health issues are particular concerning, with men seeking care less frequently than women. According to MentalHealth.org, one in eight men in England suffer from a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, OCD or panic disorder. As well as this, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women.