3. Will the First Minister make a statement on mental health support in the workplace in Wales? OAQ51476

Working with businesses to promote health in the workplace, including mental health, is a key principle of the economic action plan launched today. In addition, Healthy Working Wales and in-work support programmes provide support for employers and employees across Wales.

First Minister, Cardiff has recently been named the most stressful city in Britain, which I do find a remarkable finding. The report says that pressure at work, financial worries and concerns about health are leaving Britain in the grip of a stress epidemic, and I think many of us see this through our casework as well. A survey of 4,000 adults by the insurance company AXA found that four out of five felt stressed during a typical week and almost one in 10 were stressed all the time. This is very serious. Unison Cymru have also recently called for improved mental health services within the workplace. Can I welcome the fact that the economic action plan is going to address this? Do you agree with me that it's often middle management who are in a position to pick up on these issues and do need effective training so they can identify when those who they're responsible for supervising are under stress? 

Yes, that's absolutely right. Those who are closest to those who might experience stress are best placed to deal with it, but it's hugely important that people are able to recognise it. Particularly with some people, it's very difficult to recognise signs of stress. They will never exhibit signs of stress or complain about stress, but often, of course, those are the people who are experiencing internally the most stress, so I'd entirely agree. To have a more health workforce, it's important that those who are in positions of management are able to recognise stress in a way that might not be obvious to members of the general public and to deal with it, for the good of the person who's experiencing stress, of course, and to make them happier and more productive workers.

David Melding has actually just touched very briefly on the Unison event that took place recently. I wonder, First Minister, if you would join me in welcoming successful initiatives like the Unison mental health in the workplace conference that was organised in the Pierhead building, which I think once again showed the central role that trade unions can play in helping to tackle difficult issues in the workplace and demonstrates the valuable role of social partnership in delivering better outcomes for issues like tackling mental health in the workplace. 

Yes, I applaud what Unison have done. In terms of what we have done, Healthy Working Wales is our work and health programme. It aims to improve health at work by focusing on prevention and retention or rehabilitation for those made ill at work. Funding has been committed until 2020 as part of our 'Prosperity for All' commitment to focus on support for employees' health and well-being. I can say that Healthy Working Wales is delivered by Public Health Wales. Further work is taking place in partnership with Business Wales to target the programme for SMEs and to increase outreach, and that will include focusing on the need to improve the mental health and well-being of staff by putting in place policies and practices that protect mental health in the workplace. 

First Minister, we lose an average of 2.5 days per employee to mental health-related absence each year. It is also estimated that presenteeism, where mental health issues lessen work performance, costs the UK around £15 billion a year. It has been estimated that optimal treatment for mental health disorders will only reduce the impact of mental health illness by 28 per cent. So, we have to focus on prevention. 

The mental health first aid programme can provide help to prevent mental health problems developing into a more serious state. First Minister, what can the Welsh Government do to encourage more businesses to train their staff in mental health first aid in the same way that they employ first aiders to treat physical ailments? 

Well, two things: first of all, it's already happening through Healthy Working Wales—3,549 organisations in Wales employing 503,914 people have engaged in the Healthy Working Wales range of programmes since July 2011, and that represents 36 per cent of the working population of Wales. It is something, of course, that will form part of the economic contract, as the Cabinet Secretary will explain later, as part of the economic action plan.