In 2018 the World Economic Forum was already predicting that by 2030 mental health problems are likely to be the main cause of ill-health and mortality worldwide. The economic cost of mental ill-health in Europe (including the UK) is estimated to be more than 4% of GDP and mental health disorders are thought to affect one in four people in the UK across their lifespan.  Early evidence suggests that the pandemic has made a bad situation worse. 

If we do not address this mental health crisis, the economic and societal consequences will be devastating. For organisations, maintaining the mental health and wellbeing of their staff is now one of their most urgent priorities. In this session, we will hear about University research, discuss the organisational challenges we all face and how we can work together to disrupt the adverse effects of mental illness at an institutional, regional, national and global level.