Mental health support eclipsed all other areas of support accessed through Canada Life’s WeCare service, the latest data has revealed.
Canada Life said one in five (22%) cases dealt with through WeCare between 1 March to 31 July were for mental health. Of those cases, 61% were from women, while 39% came from men.
Three fifths (60%) of people accessing mental health support were between 16-40 years of age, with 22% of cases occurring among those aged between 28 and 33 and 18% among the age bracket 34 -39.
Canada Life said over half (56%) of cases were categorised as moderately or mildly psychologically distressed, while a further 29% were deemed moderately or severely distressed.
Following the use of WeCare, nearly three quarters (73%) of cases were moved outside the clinical definition of requiring further support, while 24% of cases continued to report mild or moderate distress and 3% remained in the severest category, requiring referral to NHS support services.
Ian Ranger, head of claims at Canada Life group insurance, said: “We face a huge challenge as a nation in the post pandemic recovery phase and none more so than in the area of mental health support. Already a huge issue pre pandemic, the demand for services and support continues unabated.
“As our WeCare data shows, mental health is an issue which covers all ages and genders, and can have a devastating impact on friends and family too. I’m proud of the way our support service has stepped up to the plate and delivered such a positive contribution to so many people’s lives in such difficult times.
“I’d encourage anyone to take that first difficult step and have a conversation, whether that be with a family member, friend, their GP or if the support is available, using a service such as WeCare through their employer.”
