HSENI organise stress workshops

Work-related stress, a major cause of absenteeism in the UK and is particularly prevalent in the public sector, will be examined at a series of workshops to be held in Belfast.

Recent research commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Great Britain has indicated that about half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level which they believe is making them ill and it is estimated that a total of 12.8 million working days were lost due to stress, anxiety and depression in 2003/2004.

HSENI’s Linda Murphy said: “Tackling work-related stress has been identified as one of the major challenges for Northern Ireland under the workplace health strategy 'Working for Health'. These Mindful Management workshops will undoubtedly help in the delivery of the workplace health strategy and advance this priority issue."

Last November a consortium of key stakeholders organised a major conference in Belfast under the banner of Mindful Management to address and debate the issues surrounding stress in the workplace.

This consortium, which includes HSENI, Action Mental Health, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, Carecall, the Chief Executives’ Forum and the International Stress Management Association, has now organised a series of stress workshops to further build on the success of the conference.

The first workshop for the education sector was held at the University of Ulster on 20 September 2005. A workshop for the health sector will be held at the new Horizons Centre in Londonderry on 11 October and the third which is aimed at private businesses will be held in Belfast on 2 November 2005.

For further information about the events contact HSENI’s One-2-One Helpline on 0800 0320 121 or visit www.hseni.gov.uk.

(SP/MB)