Background: The literature suggests that many health professionals hold stigmatising attitudes towards those with mental illness and that this impacts on patient care. Little attention has been given to how these attitudes affect colleagues with a mental illness. Current research demonstrates that stigma and discrimination are common in the UK workplace and impact on one's decision to disclose mental illness. Aims: This study aims to explore health professionals' experiences of and attitudes towards mental illness and disclosure in the workplace. Methods: This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 24 health professionals employed by an NHS (National Health Service) trust. 13 of these worked in mental health, and 11 in other health fields. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Five key themes were identified from the data: personal experiences and their effect in changing attitudes; perceived stigmatising views of mental illness in other staff members; hypothetical disclosure: factors affecting one's decision; attitudes towards disclosure; support in the workplace after disclosure; and, applying only to those working outside of the mental health field, mental illness is not talked about. The results indicated that participants had a great deal of experience with colleagues with a mental illness and that support in the workplace for such illnesses is variable. Attitudes of participating health professionals towards colleagues with a mental illness appeared to be positive, however, they did report that other colleagues held negative attitudes. Deciding to disclose a mental illness was a carefully thought out decision with a number of advantages and disadvantages noted. In particular, it was found that health professionals' fear stigma and discrimination from colleagues and that this would dissuade participants from disclosing a mental illness. Conclusion: In many respects, this research supports the findings in other workplaces. Such findings need to be investigated further to identify the degree to which these experiences and attitudes can be applied to other health professionals in other healthcare settings to determine what intervention is necessary. Importantly, this study has also indicated that the level of support available to NHS health professionals with a mental illness is variable, suggesting the need to identify and replicate positive practice.

The perceived quality and frequency of clinical supervision influences the level of burnout experienced. Nurses who have higher-level academic qualifications and who feel supported and valued at work have lower levels of burnout.

Effective leadership is crucial to the delivery of quality NHS care, particularly in the current economic climate. These are unprecedented times for the NHS; at no other time in its life has the need for leadership been greater. It is hard to define nursing leadership, with roles becoming increasingly complex. Although there has been much invested in leadership training, NHS guidance has suggested the service has only just begun to understand the importance of leadership. There is unparalleled change in the NHS; nurses are being asked to be innovators and entrepreneurs. In this article, the author considers what leadership is, and stresses the need for it to continue evolving to meet the changing demands of the NHS.

The literature suggests that mental illness among UK health care staff is common. This study reports health care workers' knowledge and experience of mental illness. Medical staff, administration staff and other staff members employed in four NHS Trusts (n=2073) responded to a questionnaire survey. A proportion of health care workers in the NHS reported having personal (colleagues, family and self) experience of mental illness. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that are not evidence based. This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based; for example, some respondents reported that demonic possession or possession by evil spirits was a very good explanation for mental illness.

Background/Aims The literature suggests that many health care workers hold stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness. This study aimed to ascertain information regarding the impact of lived experience on health care workers' knowledge about mental illness, attitudes towards mental illness and intended behaviours towards people who experience mental illness. Methods This quantitative study used a questionnaire survey of health care workers employed in four National Health Service Trusts (n=2073). Statistical analyses were conducted. Results Lived experience of a mental illness (self or family member) was associated with more favourable knowledge about mental illness, attitudes towards mental illness and intended behaviours towards those with a mental illness. Conclusions The lived experience of mental illness among health care workers could be harnessed as a resource to improve service delivery. There should be a long-term commitment to capitalising on the benefit to patient care of lived experience among health care workers.