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Health becomes first government department to sign Time to Change mental health pledge

The Department of Health signs up to Time to Change, the mental health anti-stigma programme.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

On World Mental Health Day, the department of Health has become the first government department to sign up to Time to Change the mental health anti-stigma programme.

Care Services Minister Norman Lamb said:

“We need to change the way we think about Mental Health problems and by signing up to the Time to Change pledge, we are able to show our support to stopping the discrimination people face at work due to their condition.

“This is just one small step in the right direction and we fully support any action taken that can bring about a change in the way we as a society see people with mental health problems.”

Time to Change seeks to end mental health discrimination. The programme has launched a TV advert encouraging people to talk about mental health.

Its Time to Talk - TV ad

In funding the Time to Change anti-stigma programme, the department wants to encourage a wide range of organisations to act as catalysts for change. This is part of the department’s mental health strategy No Health without Mental Health that states mental health will be given equal priority with physical health. __This is supported by the mental health strategy implementation framework launched by the Deputy Prime Minister in July 2012.

The department of health also welcomed the launch of No decision about us, without us, a guide providing practical advice for the public on how they can ensure the government’s ambitions are being translated into action on the front line. The guide was commissioned by the department through the mental health strategic partners programme and has been produced by the charities Rethink Mental Illness, Afiya Trust, Mind and NSUN (National Survivor User Network).

Published 10 October 2012