WIREDGOV

Public Health England (PHE), in partnership with the NHS, have launched Every Mind Matters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing & support others.

It is increasingly recognised that taking care of our mental health is as important as maintaining good physical health. A new PHE survey reveals 83% of 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.

27% of people who experienced signs of poor mental health waited at least 6 months before taking action to manage their mental health, with 74% of those who waited this long wishing they had done so sooner.

Every Mind Matters shows people the simple steps they can take to be better prepared for life’s ups & downs. The new platform, which has been endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RGCP), will enable people to create a personalised action plan recommending a set of self-care actions to deal with stress, boost mood, improve sleep and feel in control.  You can discover simple steps for a healthier mind and create your bespoke action plan at www.everymindmatters.co.uk.

A special film to promote Every Mind Matters has been written by Richard Curtis and directed by Rankin, narrated by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke & Duchess of Sussex. It shows how we can all look after our mental health and was aired at around 8:45pm on Monday night (7 October 2019) across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky channels.

The launch follows 18 months of planning and local & regional piloting, developed with clinical & academic experts, national mental health charities and input from people with experience of poor mental health. Clinically-assured by the NHS, Every Mind Matters is evidence-based and it shows people how to build simple changes into their daily lives – such as reframing unhelpful thoughts, breathing exercises and increasing physical activity.