1. Mental health and ill health

The World Health Organisation says that “mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder” but is “a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”.

Like physical health, mental health fluctuates over people’s lives. Even people diagnosed with a serious mental health condition can have substantial periods of good mental health, while those with no diagnosis can go through periods of being in a poor mental health state. As the TUC says: “Someone with a serious mental health problem can still thrive at work — as long as they get the right support.”

A major government-commissioned report, Thriving at work (see page 8), said that “the correct way to view mental health is that we all have it and we fluctuate between thriving, struggling and being ill and possibly off work”.