‘Local government reorganisation progressing quickly - but change can bring very good things,’ says WEst Norfolk Labour Group leader Francis Bone

In our weekly Friday Politics column, Labour’s Francis Bone discusses disability and work…

One of the latest focuses for our national government is disability and work. In particular, a spotlight has been shone on mental health. I am pleased with how wider societal attitudes towards mental health have evolved over the last couple of decades to a place of wider acceptance.

However, people who experience mental health problems still face disadvantages when it comes to work.

In my professional experiences, people who live with mental health barriers can offer empathy, care, resilience, creativity, problem-solving and strength through recovery at a higher level than those who do not.

Even so, an increasing bill for welfare is a failure of a state and of society, and I am pleased to see tough decisions and interventions being made to change course.

There is now statistically an overdiagnosis of mental illness. Or, perhaps a more accurate way to frame it is that people who are experiencing hard times around things like grief, stress and low mood are being treated as if they have a chronic condition - rather than being helped to get through what could or should be short-term difficulties.

Unsurprisingly, nine out of ten people who are unemployed suffer with their mental health. Joblessness causes incredible pain through additional hardships, impact on confidence and loss of purpose and identity.

I recently heard of a local woman who said her experience of the job centre was that the people she dealt with did not feel she seriously wanted to work, so - in her opinion - were not giving her support. This is so wrong but is not the fault of the hardworking staff at the JCP (Job Centre Plus). The system is broken and needs to change tack, and I am pleased this is beginning to happen.

Here in West Norfolk, patients are - through NHS Talking Therapies Norfolk and Waveney - able to access employment support alongside clinical support. The aim is to help them fulfil their potential long-term.

Fulfilling potential is also important for those who are even more seriously disadvantaged – with mental illnesses such as manic depression, psychosis, addictions and schizophrenia.

Far too often in the past, people experiencing these conditions have been written off in terms of being able to contribute to society, culminating in only one in ten of people with these severe conditions being in work. Helping with this locally are the ‘Routes’ and ‘Onwards’ support services offered by Norfolk and Waveney Mind.

Local government reorganisation has been progressing at break-neck speed, but change can sometimes bring very good things. We in the Norfolk Labour Party passionately believe that a new West Norfolk unitary authority - made up mostly of King’s Lynn, West Norfolk and our neighbours in Breckland – will allow us to redress some of the inequalities people are faced with.

West Norfolk has lower than average wages, lower job retention and security, fewer vacancies and a narrower industrial variety.

I am excited that we will be able to influence these issues more when devolved powers come in, rather than just trumpeting confected anger - often the standard response to challenges from the likes of Reform and the Lib Dems.

There is a reason why a majority of people who face front-line issues day-to-day, working in health, social and education roles, tend to support Labour.

Aside from strong union traditions, there is a trust and belief that, with Labour, the challenges will be faced and addressed by people who care about our community and want to work collaboratively with others to get the best for all, changing things with people and not imposing things on them.