AT THE TUC Congress this week the mental health of the working population will deservedly come under the spotlight, with calls for greater awareness of the issue of suicide and how to prevent it.

Alarmingly there are a rising number of suicides and suicide attempts among public-sector workers and the occupations at the highest risk include education and healthcare staff. 

But, while suicides are now one of the biggest causes of work-related deaths each year, under the last government, funding for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been slashed.

It is no exaggeration to say that teaching is in the grip of a mental health emergency — the number of teachers having suicidal thoughts and attempting to end their own lives is on the rise.

We know from many of our members that excessive working hours, workload, high-stakes inspection and accountability, pupil violence, and bullying employer practices are contributing massively to this crisis.

In our latest survey of 12,000 teachers, the NASUWT found that 87 per cent say they have lost sleep due to work-related worries, 85 per cent report feelings of anxiousness and 84 per cent report low energy levels. 

One in 10 teachers report that work-related stress has led to a relationship breakdown. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) report drinking more alcohol and 12 per cent report the use of or increased use of anti-depressants. 

Three per cent say they have self-harmed as a result of their work.

Nearly one in five (19 per cent) said they had taken medication as a result of work-related stress and/or seen a doctor. More than one in 10 (13 per cent) said they had sought counselling. 

This is against a backdrop where 84 per cent said they had experienced more work-related stress in the previous 12 months and 86 per cent believed that their job had adversely affected their mental health and 68 per cent their physical health in the previous 12 months.

The most recent data from the HSE shows that among women, primary and nursery teachers had the fifth-biggest mortality rate from suicide of all occupational groups. 

For men, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that the number of male teacher suicides are 54 per cent higher than female teachers, despite only making up around 25 per cent of the teaching population. This reflects the fact that the ONS estimates that around four times as many men as women take their own lives. 

Nobody should be brought to the brink of ending their own life because of their job.

More needs to be done by government, employers and regulatory bodies to ensure there are effective strategies, resources and support for suicide prevention and education in all workplaces.

At NASUWT, we are calling for fully funded mandatory mental health first aid training that includes suicide prevention and awareness in all workplaces.

The last Conservative government failed to tackle the mental health crisis. More than that, they deliberately pursued policies that made matters worse — with a lack of investment in essential front-line services and support. 

This is the change the country voted for. We want to see the Labour government delivering a better deal for workers that includes funding more mental health support services in all workplaces, complementing the important commitments already made to recruit 8,500 new mental health professionals and to improving the mental health support available to children and young people in our schools.

The Labour government’s mission to improve opportunity for children and young people and closing the disadvantage gap depends on improving the conditions of those who work in our schools and colleges. 

The working conditions of teachers are the learning conditions of pupils. Putting worker well-being at the heart of the mission of the new government is key to fixing the foundations and building a brighter future for all of our children.

Dr Patrick Roach is general secretary of teaching union NASUWT.