The Backbench debate on incorporating Mental Health First Aid into First Aid At Work legislation is scheduled to take place this morning in Parliament.

The Government statement on this is here, with a debate pack pdf link at the bottom entitled, “Mental health first aid in the workplace”.

One of the reasons I entered politics, as a career musician, was my concern over mental health care and the lack of provision for those experiencing mental ill-health.

In March 2015 I successfully amended Liberal Democrat party policy on Mental Health to include incorporating mental health first aid into physical First Aid at Work courses.

I then worked with Norman Lamb MP in 2016 on an Early Day Motion proposing to change the law so that mental health first aid was required under Health & Safety legislation.

Norman and I attended Mental Health First Aid training together and we are both Mental Health First Aiders. I am so pleased to see that our work has led to cross-party support of this initiative. I very much hope the Backbench Business debate today leads to changes in First Aid At Work legislation. It is imperative that mental health first aid be given equal footing to physical first aid in the work place.

* Kirsten Johnson was the PPC for Oxford East in the 2017 General Election. She is a pianist and composer at www.kirstenjohnsonpiano.com.