Starting a new job can be scary at the best of times. Will I fit in? Can I do the job well? Starting a job with a mental health diagnoses adds another layer to top of those common worries. The NHS reported that in July of this year 1.47 million people were in contact with mental health services, with the majority being adult services. this is such a large amount, yet many workplaces do not make a point of understanding their employers needs. Let's face it, most of us have had the "well everyone has those bad days" when you try to explain to your boss about the sick days. That’s where working for the Sussex Partnership foundation Trust comes in. The Trust aim to tackle the problems most face to create a better working environment.
This is prevalent to myself as before I started at the Trust I struggled to find somewhere which I felt cared about my mental health. When I began working at the Trust I had just come from a job which didn’t take my Anxiety diagnosis seriously; which in turn made me worry about starting. From the moment I started I was made to feel cared for and that I was more like a member of a family than an employee. I was also made to feel comfortable with talking about any issues I had and how they could help.
While working you can see how committed the Trust is about caring for the employees. The first Tuesday of every month is the Wellness Drop In, where you can come in and chat about anything which is affecting you. The event runs on Zoom so you can access it at whatever trust location you are at. If you prefer a more private chat you can contact the Wellness Team. They can give you free and confidential counselling, along with helping implement change to the work day if needed. This service also covers close family as well, so you feel fully supported.
Working for Sussex Partnership you feel like you are a person first, employee second. There is support no matter what your role, everyone is a valued member of the team.