If GPs aren’t – who is helping employees with symptoms of depression?

If GPs aren’t – who is helping employees with symptoms of depression?

The winter lockdown of 2021 led to 19% of employed adults experiencing some form of depression, according to ONS figures from a survey of 26,000 people in the UK.

Less well-off adults were also worst affected: a third of those who couldn’t afford an unexpected but necessary expense of £850 experienced depression. Women (four in 10) and younger adults (aged between 16 and 29) were also more likely to be affected by symptoms such as sleeping problems, poor appetite and feelings of hopelessness. This situation compares with overall levels in the population of around 10% before Covid-19.

Avoiding GPs

At the same time, GP-diagnosed cases of adult depression have fallen during the pandemic. This indicates that fewer people are going to their GP for help due to lack of appointment availability, concerns about exposure to people with Covid-19 in surgeries, as well as worries about distracting GPs from their pandemic roles.

The CIPD has called for employers to make sure line managers are trained to support wellbeing, can have empathetic conversations and identify early signs of issues with mental ill-health.

Filling the gaps

“It’s critical that early signs of mental ill-health aren’t ignored and left to develop into more serious conditions,” says EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell.

“For different reasons relating to the pandemic many people haven’t felt able to approach their GP, the usual source of anonymous, independent advice when it comes to mental wellbeing. Inevitably that has meant employees who have tried to cope on their own, who have kept worries bottled up or downplayed the symptoms they’ve been experiencing.

“The immediate access to advice provided by EAPs is invaluable in this situation – and as we know, the numbers of people using EAPs has been rising throughout the past year. Not only do EAPs offer round the clock support, but also a faster route to GPs and talking therapies such as CBT. In a situation where the long-term fall-out from the effects of Covid-19 is yet to be fully understood, employers need to make sure that all staff are aware of how their EAP will help them and family members with early signs of depression.”

who is helping employees with symptoms of depression, Eugene Farrell.