The Priory, best known as the celebrity rehab centre of choice, is to open a clinic in the heart of the City as the number of working days lost to stress related illnesses soars.
The new Fenchurch Street facility, which will open its doors before the end of the year, will treat clients with a range of mental health problems associated with today’s high-pressure working environment.
According to the Office for National Statistics, over 3.5 million days were lost to stress, anxiety and depression in London and the South East last year, and employers are beginning to take note.
The Bank of England was among the first to respond, after reporting that many of its staff had been suffering from stress since the beginning of the financial crisis. The bank now provides its 3,000 strong workforce with an in-house counselling service.
Other firms, including Lloyds, Goldman Sachs and Deloitte, quickly followed suit. Together they established the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) with the aim of providing easily accessible help to those in need.
Tony Urwin, managing director of the City Priory, told the Evening Standard; “There’s a growing demand by large UK corporates to invest in the mental wellbeing of their employees and maintain London’s reputation as one of the world’s top financial centres – as well as one of the emotionally healthiest.”
Mental health experts say the benefits for companies include improved productivity and morale, staff loyalty and a reduction in sickness absence.
The Priory Group, which was founded in 1980, now has a network of over 275 nationwide healthcare facilities.
Along with clinics providing mental healthcare, the group’s estate also includes residential and care homes, specialist schools and complex care centres.
