Our Impact
Driving systemic mental health transformation across screen industries
Individual Employee’s
One of the most significant contributions of mental health nurses is their ability to provide early identification and support. Mental health nurses are trained to recognise early signs of psychological distress, conduct structured mental health assessments, and identify risk factors such as suicidal ideation. This enables timely intervention, which is crucial in preventing the escalation of mental health issues into crises. Early intervention is a key principle within public mental health, as it reduces the likelihood of escalation and improves long-term outcomes (Department of Health, 2011).
In addition, mental health nurses can offer immediate, on-site care, addressing key barriers faced by film industry workers. Irregular working hours, freelance employment, and lack of continuity of care often prevent individuals from accessing traditional mental health services. The presence of an on-set mental health nurse provides accessible and confidential support tailored to the demands of production schedules.
This flexibility enhances engagement with services and ensures that support is available at the point of need. This aligns with public health principles of equity and accessibility, ensuring that vulnerable populations can engage with services (Marmot, 2010).
Furthermore, mental health nurses are able to deliver therapeutic interventions, including brief psychological therapies, coping strategies for stress and burnout, and trauma-informed care. These interventions contribute to improved emotional resilience, increased coping capacity, and overall wellbeing.
Production Companies
From an organisational perspective, employing mental health nurses can significantly improve productivity and performance. Mental wellbeing is closely linked to cognitive functioning, creativity, and interpersonal communication—all of which are essential in a collaborative and creative industry. By supporting mental health, companies can enhance focus, reduce errors, and minimise delays in production. Poor mental health is associated with reduced concentration, increased errors, and decreased efficiency (World Health Organization, 2022).
Additionally, Mind Stage can contribute to the reduction of absenteeism and staff turnover. Poor mental health is a leading cause of sickness absence and workforce attrition. By providing early support and intervention, mental health nurses help to reduce sick leave, prevent staff dropout, and lower recruitment and training costs. This represents a clear financial benefit to production companies, reinforcing the economic value of investing in mental health. Another key benefit is improved risk management and safeguarding. Mental health nurses are equipped to conduct suicide risk assessments, provide crisis intervention, and implement safeguarding procedures. This supports organisational compliance with legal frameworks such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which requires employers to protect both physical and psychological wellbeing. These practices reduce the likelihood of serious incidents and mitigate legal and reputational risks. In an industry where public image is critical, maintaining a reputation for supporting employee wellbeing is increasingly important. Mental health nurses also play a role in fostering an enhanced workplace culture. By promoting psychological safety, addressing bullying and harassment, and supporting compassionate leadership practices, they contribute to a more positive and inclusive working environment. This, in turn, fosters trust, collaboration, and staff satisfaction.
Organisational
Mental health nurses can have a key role in policy development and implementation, supporting organisations to establish wellbeing policies, fatigue management systems, and anti-bullying frameworks. These interventions align with a public health approach, which emphasises addressing the social determinants of health rather than focusing solely on individual behaviour (Marmot, 2010). In addition, Mind Stage can contribute to training and education, delivering mental health awareness programmes and leadership training. Education is a core component of public health, as it reduces stigma and promotes early help-seeking behaviour (Public Health England, 2019).
Employing Mind Stage can also demonstrate corporate social responsibility and a commitment to ethical practice. This aligns with increasing expectations for organisations to prioritise employee wellbeing and uphold duty of care standards.
Industry-Wide
At a broader level, embedding mental health nurses within the film industry can contribute to cultural transformation. By normalising help-seeking and challenging harmful norms, Mind Stage can support a shift towards psychologically safe working environments. This aligns with the Recovery Model, which emphasises social inclusion, empowerment, and the importance of supportive environments in mental health recovery (Slade, 2009). It also reflects a population-level public health approach, aiming to improve wellbeing across the entire workforce rather than focusing solely on individuals.
Improving mental health support can enhance the reputation of the industry, making it more attractive to workers, investors, and audiences. Additionally, it supports long-term sustainability by improving workforce retention and preserving skills. Mental wellbeing is also closely linked to innovation and creativity, which are fundamental to the film industry. A psychologically healthy workforce is more capable of creative thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving, highlighting the value of mental health investment.
References
Department of Health (2011) No health without mental health: A cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages. London: DH.
The Film and TV Charity (2024) Looking Glass Report 2024. Available at: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/assets/documents/Reports/LOOKING_GLASS_REPORT_2024.pdf
Marmot, M. (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review). London: The Marmot Review.
Public Health England (2019) Prevention is better than cure: Our vision to help you live well for longer. London: PHE.
Shorter, G. W., McCann, S., & McIlherron, L. (2018). Changing Arts and Minds: A survey of health and wellbeing in the creative sector. Ulster University. Accessible at: https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/11663648/changing-arts-and-minds-creative-industries-report.pdf
Slade, M. (2009) Personal Recovery and Mental Illness: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
World Health Organization (2022) Mental health at work: Policy brief. Geneva: WHO.