Wheatley Group joined forces with law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn to mark World Mental Health Day with a discussion on how workplaces can become more supportive and inclusive for people with poor mental health.

Speakers at the event included Jill Stavert, professor of law at Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health and Social Care; NHS consultant psychiatrist Aman Durrani; Ben Benjamin, from the Mental Health Project and Rainbow Families; Wheatley Group’s director of employee relations, Lesley Wilkinson and Shepherd and Wedderburn solicitor Lauren Miller. It was chaired by the director of YSC Edinburgh, Ed Cochrane.

World Mental Health Day, which takes place every year on October 10, was set up to bring attention to mental illness and how it affects people.

Carole Ritchie, HR director of Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “We’re delighted to join Wheatley in marking World Mental Health Day. We shared insights at the panel discussion into what we’re doing to make our workplaces supportive and inclusive, and what we can learn from our experiences. Let’s keep the conversations going.”

Wheatley Group’s director of employee relations, Lesley Wilkinson, said: “Businesses have an important role to play in mental health and Wheatley is passionate about supporting people’s positive mental health at work and making workplaces more welcoming for everyone.

“Thanks to the panel and the audience for sharing ways we can make workplaces even more supportive for our colleagues.”