Mental health of UK Members of Parliament in the House of Commons: a cross-sectional survey

What is it about?

What is it about? This survey assessed mental health of Members of the UK Parliament (MPs) and whether they are aware of the Parliamentary mental health support services. Why is it important? MPs have a vital role to play in the UK democracy. But they are under a lot of stress, working extensive hours, and most of the time away from family support or their home NHS services. This puts them under risk for mental health problems. This first ever evaluation of mental health in MPs (using validated scales), found that MPs have significantly higher levels of mental ill health when compared to the general population, and when compared to similar professional groups. However, most MPs do not feel that they have adequate mental health support, and they don’t know how to access the mental health services that are available to them. Perspectives Better support is required both to prevent mental health problems among MPs and to ensure rapid and effective care when needed.

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