Mental health and wellbeing in Public Services of the United Kingdom Case Study

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1.0 Introduction

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In recent eras, the United Kingdom has been involved significantly in improving the mental health and well-being of different public service professionals. The public service sector of the United Kingdom consists of different kinds of public service facilities for example the healthcare sector, the firefighting sector and the metropolitan police service sector etc.. A real-life case study is mentioned in this study of a firefighter named Rodger. In his working sector, he has faced a fire breakout incident in the Grenfell Tower. He has to work in these serious conditions which create a huge amount of trauma and stress which creates anxiety and insomnia types of conditions. In this entire study, different kinds of factors and strategies will be discussed to improve the conditions of the mental health and well-being of the public service employees of the United Kingdom. Also, this report explores different kinds of scenarios for the betterment of mental health and well-being in public services.

2.0 Discussion: Learning outcome 1

2.1 Factors that influence mental health and well-being

There are different kinds of factors present in the entire United Kingdom which influence the mental health and well-being of different kinds of public service professionals. These influencing factors contain various kinds of internal and external factors which regulate the mental health of these professionals. Before the evaluation of any kind of mental health promoting strategies, a complete analysis and understanding of these factors is very important (Querstret et al. 2020). This part of this study is a complete analysis of social and psychological factors regarding the mental health of any person (Viner et al. 2019). This social and psychological factor consists of different kinds of impacts of their childhood incidents, the function of different friends and colleagues etc.

2.1.1 Link between mental health and physical health

Mental and physical health of a particular individual includes a wide variety of relationship between them. There are various types of aspects are present which are associate with the development of mental health of a person and their chronic physical characteristics. Different previously done research studies have shown that a diseased mental health condition can heavily affects a person’s mental health (McKinlay et al. 2021). According to the “World Health Organization (WHO)” it was defined that health is the combination of different aspects such as physical, mental and social well-being. It was examined that mental health can critically affect a person’s physical characteristics. The relationship between mental and physical health are mentioned below,

Chronic Physical and Mental Conditions

A diseased mental condition can produce a wide variety of risk factor to the development of the chronic physical conditions of and individual. On the other hand, it was also identified that the diseased physical condition of a person can produce poor mental and psychological aspects of a human being.

Social Determinants

There are different social factors are present which plays a huge role in maintain a healthy relationship between the physical and mental health of a human being (O'Connor et al. 2021). The most appropriate aspects of developing a favorable mental and physical health requires physical activites, consuming nutritious food also ensuring social life balance.

Figure 1: Relation between Mental and Physical Health

This particular figure shows various aspects which are associated with the development of an individual’s mental health through various activities. It can be identified with the help of this figure that different activities which are essential for good physical health such as eating well, getting enough sleep, activities and exercises, avoid alcohol etc. are the most essential element for a person’s good mental health.

2.1.2 Impacts of social and psychological factors on the mental health of emergency service providers.

A positive mental health pf a particular person includes a wide variety of aspects which are associated with the development of a wide variety of social and psychological factors which the person faced during their professional and personal life (Tubadji et al. 2023). In this particular case study of the fire fighter Rodger who got heavily traumatized during the Grenfell Tower incident can resolve his mental conditions with the help of different social and psychological elements. It was found that Rodger become traumatized because a girl who died in that accident in front of him.

Social elements

It was analyzed that Rodger can improve his mental condition with the creation of various social relationships. Social isolation has the ability to produce different negative impacts on the mental conditions of a person. Rodger can introduce him to more social gathering to resolve his situations.

Psychological elements

Different psychological factors, such as psychological integrity, can also have a beneficial impact on the mental health of the emergency care provider, Rodger.

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2.1.3 Characteristics of Positive Mental Health

The positive mental health and well-being of an individual have different types of characteristics present. These factors and characteristics play a very important role in the improvement process of the mental health of a person. The first characteristic of positive mental health is resilience. It is the ability of an individual which creates a chance of a comeback from any kind of extreme situation (Palinkas and Wong, 2020). These public service individuals of the United Kingdom faced different kinds of traumatized situations in their work. This ability helps these individuals to learn from these experiences and to do their work roles with significant effectiveness. The public service professionals of the United Kingdom require positive mental health characteristics, which include the regulation of their emotions. This ability to regulate their emotions involves different kinds of mental and psychological attributes which help these individuals control their emotions in different kinds of high-pressure situations (Tromans et al. 2020). This process also helps in the work maintenance process in the public service sector. These public service professionals should also have a positive characteristic, which is the self-efficacy process. It is the different kinds of self-believing factors which help an individual to produce confidence in their own abilities.

The PREMA analysis model regarding mental health

The PREMA model of mental health analysis is a very effective and important type of analysis model which is used for the analysis of mental health and well-being (Goh et al. 2022). This model contains five different elements which are the positive emotion, the relationships, the engagement, the meaning and the accomplishment.

Table 1: PREMA Analysis model

Learning outcome 2

2.2 The value of early interventions

The value of different kinds of early intervention, which is related to the mental health and well-being of these public service professionals, is very important. These public service professionals of the United Kingdom serve different sectors of public services for example the police sector, the fire brigade, the nursing and healthcare sector etc, where they have faced various kinds of stressful conditions (Mackenzie, 2021). This part of this study contains valuable information about the role of different kinds of early intervention methods which will be very helpful for the improvement process of mental well-being.

2.2.1 Importance of early childhood experiences in the positive mental health

The development of various early childhood experiences have significant impacts on the mental health of a person. These impacts contains both the positive and negative consequences associated with an individual’s mental and psychological aspects.

Brain Development

A person face different types of new experiences during their early childhood stage of lifespan. Positive experience helps a person to build their brain on the other hand negative experiences impacted on affecting the brain negatively. It was examined that an early childhood experiences are associated with different factors for example relationship with their parents, families, and friends.

Resilience Development

It was identified that positive childhood experiences helps a person to build emotional resilience within a person’s mind (Tubadji et al. 2023). If a child experienced a positive and continuous love and support during their childhood they can build effective emotional resilience after being an adult. On the other hand, if they don’t face any type of positive environment during their childhood it can effect negatively on these person’s mind ultimately affect their mental health. 

Cognitive Characteristics Growth

A person’s growth related to various types of cognitive aspects have a huge relationship with their experiences in early childhood. If a child grows within a positive environment with various learning opportunities they can effectively improve their cognitive abilities as an adult person. While it have the ability to produce negative consequences also if the above-mentioned conditions alters.

2.2.2 Early stress signs identification and the support structure provided by public services organizations.

This particular section of this research study includes a wide variety of plans which are very crucial for the identification of different signs regarding a person’s mental health conditions. The importance of the early stress sings identification process is very beneficial for a person to assess their mental health conditions.

In that emergency responder Rodger, there are different kinds of signs and symptoms was present which creates a serious amount of decrease in mental health. These stressed conditions evolve after different kinds of accidents in the public service sector of the United Kingdom (Shanahan et al. 2019). These signs of stressed mental conditions involve the changes in the emotion, changes in the physical attributes, changes in the cognitive abilities, different kinds of change in the behavior of these emergency responders etc. These individuals can show different types of changes in their emotions for example an increase in frustration and disappointment level etc. They can also create different kinds of changes in the physical health of these individuals such as difficulties in muscle power, reduced amount of sleep time etc. After working in a high-pressure environment these physical signs can easily evolve in these persons. Different kinds of highly traumatized environments can create a significant amount of reduction in a wide variety of cognitive abilities of these professionals.

Public Service Supports in the UK for providing mental health support

In the United Kingdom, there can be different types of public services that can help in the improvement process of the mental health of those individuals. Different kinds of strategies can be there which will improve the condition of these public service professionals such as training regarding mental health, proper counselling service, regular health checkups, facilities for stress management etc. There are a variety of public services present which can organize different kinds of mental health-related training programmers which can be very beneficial for the improvement process of mental health. In these training programmers, different kinds of awareness-building education regarding mental health can be introduced to these emergency responders. Also, the counselling sector of the United Kingdom can plan various types of counselling sessions for these emergency responders which can be beneficial in the improvement process of their mental health.

Mental health and wellbeing in Public Services of the United Kingdom Case Study

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In the mentioned case scenario this public service professional has faced different types of traumatized situations in the workplace. Here Rodger has faced sleep difficulties and mental stress after the fire incident in the Grenfell Tower. Different kinds of public service counselling meetings can be very beneficial in the case of Rodger. This method of early intervention can definitely help him in the improvement process of his mental health condition.

Not only in the case of Roger these public service facilities can help to improve their mental health but they can be implemented in a variety of public service sectors in the United Kingdom. Also, the identification of different kinds of early stress signs can be very beneficial for the production process of these supporting environments (Popay and Bambra, 2019). It is essential for both the well-being of emergency responders and the efficiency of emergency services to support mental health and resilience-building among them.

Learning outcomes 3 and 4

2.3 Strategies to Promote Mental Health and Build Resilience

In their line of work, emergency responders like Roger, a fireman with the London Fire Brigade frequently come across extremely stressful and distressing events, which can have a serious negative effect on their mental health. This part of this study will talk about different kinds of mental health promotion and resilience-building tactics in this situation, with an emphasis on a local approach for particular responders like Roger and a national approach that the London Fire Brigade and other comparable services may use to help their staff. It will also examine how an emergency responder's mental well-being is supervised and examine the wider effects of measures meant to support emergency personnel's mental health.

2.3.1 Assess the potential benefits and limitations of social media to promote mental health and wellbeing

Over the past few years the trend of social media is rising on an alarming rate throughout the entire world. Different types of social media platforms are now providing various opportunities to people for creation of connection and relationship (Wickham et al. 2020). It was identified that the impacts of social media contain both the benefits and limitations on a person’s mental health. To promote the metal health and well-being of the emergency responders the social media can play a wide variety of vital roles. However it was identified that apart from the benefits social media can produce various negative consequences on a person’s mental health effectively.

Benefits of Social Media on mental health and well-being

With the help of different social media platforms a person can create a wide variety of relationship with their family members, friend without attending them. It can provide different types of emotional backings to a person which is very beneficial for his or her mental health. Also, in these social media platform an individual can effectively create mutual friendships with peoples all around the world it can neutralize a person’s level of stress and anxiety appropriately (Tubadji et al. 2023). Utilizing the social media people can increases their awareness about various mental health related conditions and their cure properly.

Limitations of Social Media on mental health and well-being

It was identified in the previous section that with the help of social media people can create connection and relationships. However, these relationships can turn into negative relation which can increase the level of anxiety among these people. Effects of these negative relationship can cause damage to one’s mental health. On the other hand, the numbers are cyberbullying and abusing on social media increased in a significant amount. Cyberbullying can produce anxiety and stress also sometimes a person can get depressed from these bullying.

2.3.2 Local Approach for Individual Resilience

Peer support program deployment is a critical local approach to assist disaster responders in managing stress and developing resilience. Through these programs, responders may talk to their colleagues who have encountered similar circumstances about their experiences, feelings, and worries in a secure and encouraging setting (Giebel et al. 2019). In Roger's situation, a program like this would have been quite helpful because he was really distressed following the Grenfell Tower catastrophe and other horrific occurrences.

2.3.3 Benefits from Programs for peer assistance

Peers may connect to one another's experiences, which promotes empathy and a sense of mutual understanding. Responders like Roger may feel less alone and more supported as a result while coping with their emotional challenges. These initiatives can lessen the stigma associated with mental health problems in the workplace, enabling responders to get care without worrying about criticism or negative consequences (Søvold et al. 2021). Peer support ensures early intervention by being taught to identify distressing indicators in their peers and to direct them toward professional treatment when needed.

2.3.4 National Strategy to Build Resilience

Extensive Education and Mental Health Support as Part of a National Strategy to Develop Resilience Organizations like the London Fire Brigade, which operates nationally, can put into place a comprehensive plan to help staff members develop resilience. Part of this plan includes providing thorough training that gives responders tools for managing stress, coping with life's challenges, and developing emotional resilience. The emphasis of this continuous training ought to center on the gradual building of psychological fortitude.

2.3.5 Mental Health Supervision of Emergency Responders

Ensuring the well-being of emergency responders, such as Roger, requires close supervision of their mental health. Various strategies can be employed, such as requiring emergency responders to undergo recurrent mental health evaluations in order to spot and handle any early indicators of distress or issues related to mental health (McGowan et al. 2020). Qualified mental health specialists who are familiar with the particular difficulties experienced by responders should do these evaluations. It is important for managers and leaders to be personable and sympathetic in order to foster an atmosphere where employees feel free to talk about their emotional health. Encouraging leaders to set a good example and ask for assistance when necessary creates a pleasant atmosphere for the entire company (Franken et al. 2023). As previously stated, peer support programs are crucial for oversight and assistance.

2.3.6 Policy's Effect on Promoting the Mental Health of Emergency Workers

Public service organizations of the United Kingdom can utilize different types of government policies and rules associated with the development of emergency responder’s mental health (. The development of a person’s mental health requires a wide variety of factors. However the implementation of policies can create effective results.

The government of the United Kingdom introduced a wide variety of policies which are associated with the development of a person’s mental health and well-being. For promoting the mental health and wellbeing the “Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID)” organization introduced different polices in England (Wickham et al. 2020). On the other hand, in the “CQUIN 2019 and 2020” the NHS organization described various elements which are very beneficial for promoting a person’s mental health related aspects. This particular policy was developed by the NHS based on the development of a healthy environment and lifestyle which can improve the mental health of a person.

The policies which are mentioned in this particular guideline can be utilized in the case of the emergency providers of England. Analysis of various previous research studies provided valuable proofs that these policies plays a very vital role in promoting the mental health of emergency service providers such as fire fighter Rodger. With the proper analysis of various mental health related data mentioned in the OHID’s JSNA toolkit policy creator can produce effective strategies which will be used for promoting the mental health of an individual (Steenkamer et al. 2020). These above-mentioned aspects can be used in the development of emergency service provider’s mental health and well-being effectively.

Conclusion

Throughout this entire study, different kinds of methods and strategies are mentioned in this project which is very important in the mental health improvement process of the public service professionals in the United Kingdom. In the first part of this report, a proper description of different factors which have the ability to influence the mental health and well-being of different individuals is mentioned. These factors are related to different kinds of internal and external elements which are essential for positive mental health. Also, the relationship between the mental health and the physical health of an individual is mentioned in this part of this study. Different kinds of stress symptoms are mentioned in this project which are very beneficial for the positive mental health of a human being. The entire study is based on public service professionals who work in the London Fire Brigade sector.

References

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