This blog has been prepared for the SIG by Woody Caan, Liam Hughes and Lina Martino in response to World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2020, which emphasized the importance of advocacy for mental health in the era of Covid-19. The Faculty has had a good track record in recent years for supporting public mental health, and recognizing the interactions between mental and physical health in the spirit of “Equally Well”. It is encouraged to tackle Covid-19 through advocacy for integrated policies and better resources for mental health as an integral part of the proposed national investments to fight the pandemic.
Covid-19 has had a deep impact on individuals, families and communities, and on health professionals and their front-line colleagues in all parts of the U.K. As more has been learned about the disease, it has become more apparent that it has generated major mental health issues, and that these are likely to continue for many more months. Some examples are given below:
- Inpatients have experienced major trauma, with associated mental health symptoms (such as cognitive disruption, anxiety and depression, and for some PTSD) which extend well beyond discharge.
- Those living in the community with mild symptoms of Covid-19 may experience a “long tail” of reported physical and psychological symptoms including respiratory damage and renal failure, fatigue and muscle soreness, and cognitive impairment and “mind fog”. Often, they report that clinicians do not seem to take their reports seriously.
- Bereavement is an issue for relatives, friends and the wider community, especially given the constraints of social isolation, and there is good evidence about what can be done to help, at pace and scale (and at low cost).
- Suicide rates are likely to rise as social uncertainty intensifies, unemployment increases and social protection is scaled back.
- There are reports of rising mental health pressures on children and adolescents as they return to school, concern that the diversion of health visitors and school nurses into hospital roles will leave schools and community teams under-resourced, and reports of the delayed return of SEND pupils with complex needs.
The pandemic has exacerbated long-standing health inequalities, including in mental health and wellbeing. A national survey by Mind revealed that existing inequalities in housing, employment, finances and other issues have had a greater impact on people from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups than on white people. The reduction in access to health and wider services due to control measures is also likely to have a disproportionate impact on BAME groups and people with severe mental illness.
The concern of members of the Mental Health SIG is that the mental health dimensions of Covid-19 (and the associated resource requirements) may be missed by policymakers, planners and commissioners. Faculty members are encouraged to reflect on what they can do to reinforce the message that the fight against Covid-19 requires attention to mental as well as physical health.
Resources on Covid-19 and mental health, including guidance on public and workforce wellbeing, can be found on the SIG’s web page: https://www.fph.org.uk/policy-campaigns/special-interest-groups/special-interest-groups-list/public-mental-health-special-interest-group/mental-health-and-covid-19/
Woody Caan, Liam Hughes and Lina Martino
FPH Mental Health SIG
Better Health For All 
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