Presidential blog #4 - Marching for mental health services

This was first published as a 'Presidential blog' on the British Psychological Society website on Wednesday 18th May, 2016

I had the great pleasure to be in York on Saturday, marching in support of colleagues calling for proper investment in mental health services in the city. It is ridiculous, in one of the wealthiest nations on earth, to be fighting for the most basic of social services. But the march and rally were great, and I am heartened by several elements of the day. 

The local people, and media, were welcoming and positive and there was strong support from local and national politicians. I was delighted to be shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues fromPsychologists Against Austerity and sharing the speakers’ platform with the local MP Rachel Maskell and Len McClusky from Unite.

Having been a clinical psychologist for 25 years, I was delighted to hear the message that psychological health is a matter for everyone -  one-in-one, not ‘one-in-four’ - and that our psychological health (and therefore mental health services) is intimately linked to social circumstances and the economic, political and material health of civic society. That message needs to be repeated and clarified - hence my visit to Channel 4 on Tuesday, to attend a meeting discussing media portrayals of mental health problems – but I think it’s getting across. I was delighted, for example, that Alistair Campbell has started talking about mental health as an issue that touches ‘one in one’, not just ‘one in four’ of us. For me, this is a welcome recognition of our shared humanity and common psychology.

Otherwise, issues around work and psychology have dominated my email inbox and Twitter account this week. We’ve seen reports of psychologists themselves issuing ‘zero-hours contracts’, and unpaid intern posts for people wanting to enter professional psychology careers. Is this a growing trend that BPS Members and other readers of the blog would like to share their views on?

We’ve also seen increasing discussion of the impact of Work Capability Assessments, the DWP’s in-work progression trial and sanctions in our benefits system. We’ve seen sexism in the workplace and we’ve seen further discussion of the importance of maintaining the psychological health of workers in the NHS.

So… two questions (for the comments section below, perhaps):

1. What are readers’ views on psychologists issuing zero-hours contracts or contracts for unpaid interns?
2. Is the time right for a British Psychological Society Presidential Taskforce on ‘Work and Psychology’?