AN employer based in Worcester has paid a nurse to look after the mental health of his staff during the coronavirus lockdown.

SJL Insurance, based in Worcester, has offered all of its 70 staff free mental health treatments every month from their own homes.

The treatments are with a mental health nurse due to staff transitioning to working from home. So far 11 members of staff have accepted the offer to have mental health sessions via video or phone calls with the nurse, and the number is increasing weekly.

Staff have been invited to see mental health nurse Carie Workman and discuss anything they wish to.

When making the booking, they do not need to say what their problem is in order to maintain confidentiality and to encourage staff to come forwards.

Founder and chief executive of of SJL Insurance, Simon Lancaster said: “Three weeks ago we arranged for nearly all 70 staff to work from home in response to the coronavirus lockdown. I decided to keep the mental health service that we started offering last June, as opposed to cutting costs and abandoning it for now, because I think now more than ever it is needed given the massive environmental and lifestyle change during the coronavirus lockdown.

"Fortunately, because people can now do video calls and mobile phone calls, staff are still able to have an almost identical service with a mental health nurse from their new home office.”

SJL Insurance account executive Ellie Bould said: “ It helps to speak to someone who is neutral yet professional, who can empathise with and understand my problems."

SJL Insurance team leader Dan Ingram said: “I don’t know of any other company that gives staff free sessions with a mental health nurse and for me it’s been invaluable being able to still access these sessions on a telephone call that I can still carry out in private."

Carie Workman, mental health nurse at New Beginnings said the company was the only employer that she know of that is giving free mental health sessions to staff during lockdown.

She added: “It is a big change for many people, working from home, feeling isolated, missing staff morale and support from colleagues. This can have a negative impact on mental health and well-being.

“In providing professional support during this period it has helped staff to discuss their concerns, have coping skills and strategies put in place as well as feel listened to. Talking to a professional who is neutral, understanding, who can offer advice and support is extremely important for positive mental health and well-being.”

The company, established in 2001, has an almost equal 50:50 split between female and male employees.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, in England, 75 per cent of suicides are men, for whom suicide is the most common cause of death for males aged 20-49. Women are more likely than men to have a common mental health problem and are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Carie Workman from New Beginnings is a Registered Mental Health Nurse as well as being a therapist, working with children, adolescents and adults.