CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > November 2019 15 such as stress, anxiety and depression, and the startling statistic that two construction workers take their own life every single day in the UK. Andy Burrows talked about some of the initiatives that have been introduced in the Lynch business to help improve mental health, such as ‘Time to Talk Day’, family days and workshops around the subject of mental health which encourage staff to talk about any issue that is deeply affecting them. Lynch also has five trained Mental Health First Aiders who are on hand to listen and be supportive. Andy spoke honestly about some real life examples, including when a remote worker had attempted suicide but had been found by a colleague and fortunately survived. Following therapy arranged by Lynch, both colleagues are now in great shape and back at work. Bill Hill talked about the fact that males are often reluctant to seek help and urged everyone to ask others if they are OK if they recognise that someone may be struggling. He stressed the importance of asking more than once and to give them chance to respond. Bill also talked about the value of going for walks and Andy referred to some of the signs that people may be developing mental ill-health, such as going very quiet, disappearing for long periods of time and developing a change in eating habits. CPACONFERENCEREVIEW2019: 3