A NEW scheme aimed at fighting the stigma affecting mental health problems in the workplace has been launched.

Workplace Mental Health, based in Hanover Street, Bolton, is hoping to help organisations in Greater Manchester to tackle stress and anxiety at work.

Mental health is gradually becoming recognised as the primary cause of absenteeism and lost production in the workplace.

UK and CEO Melvin Bradley said there was a "significant" unmet demand for assistance.

He said: "The already Cinderella NHS mental health resources are under severe budgetary pressure and employees, often unable to seek help at work, are also fearful of being stigmatised and jeopardising their careers.

"Frequently their only option is to suffer in silence with damaging emotional and financial consequences for themselves and their employers.

"Workplace Mental Health is following the direction charted by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in its 2016 Mental Health Strategy policy by shifting the focus of care to prevention, early intervention and resilience.

"Our team comprises people with excellent technical and professional qualifications but, critically, often also with personal experience of mental health issues.

"This enables us to really understand the difficulties which individuals and organisations struggle with and help provide useful and lasting solutions."

According to Workplace Mental Health, absenteeism caused by mental health problems results in more than 15million lost days and costs £30billion annually or 4.5 per cent of GDP.

Poor mental health affects one in four people and this is increasing by 25 per cent each year. Workers in the North West are among the most stressed.

The scheme will deliver services that aim to improve morale and lower employee turnover, reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and help to make cost savings human resource.

It will attempt to do this by providing an initial audit of the workplace environment, interpreting the results and programming recommendations including various training, support, and e-learning options.

The whole process would then be monitored, evaluated and reported.

Workplace Mental Health will work with businesses and organisations of all types and sizes including the public sector and education.

For more information, go to workmentalhealth.co.uk