Public Health England (PHE) has today launched its new mental health campaign, Every Mind Matters. Through a new digital self-care tool, it aims to support all adults to feel more confident in understanding mental health, and to take actions to improve and manage how they are feeling.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England is a key informing partner of Every Mind Matters, having worked closely with PHE for the past two years to support the development of the digital tool and its pilot launch in the West Midlands.
Simon Blake, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England said:
“We are delighted to be supporting the launch of Every Mind Matters, as one of the campaign’s informing partners.
“Every Mind Matters resonates strongly with our vision to improve the mental health of the nation by equipping people with the knowledge, confidence and skills to look after their own and others’ mental health and wellbeing.”
“We are a social enterprise focused on empowering people to access mental health support and we believe the Every Mind Matters tool will be an important self-care resource for the entire population.”
The launch comes as new PHE data reveals that more than eight in ten (83%) people have experienced early signs of poor mental health including feeling anxious, stressed, having low mood or trouble sleeping in the last 12 months. While these can be a natural response to life’s challenges, they can become more serious if people don’t take action – and many wait too long.
Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE said:
“Our health is affected by our circumstances, including having a job, friends and a roof over our heads. Anxiety, stress, low mood and trouble sleeping can affect everyone. Every Mind Matters aims to help people to better handle life’s ups and downs.”
Developed with clinical and academic experts, national mental health organisations, and input from people with experience of poor mental health, the free NHS-approved tool asks the user questions to identify the type of issues they are facing and generates a self-care action plan to support their mental health and wellbeing.
This consists of simple, practical self-care actions that anyone can build into their daily routine to look after their mental health – such as reframing unhelpful thoughts, breathing exercises and increasing physical activity.
All of these actions have well evidenced benefits for improving and maintaining good mental health, which can help people to get more out of life, feel and function better, have more positive relationships and manage difficult times – now and in the future.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:
“Every Mind Matters will benefit us all with an accessible tool to help manage our wellbeing at the click of a button.
"It will offer vital support to those living with a mental health condition and give each of us valuable and personalised tips on how to better cope with life’s daily struggles, while contributing to tackling the stigma that can still surround mental health.”