Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS have launched Every Mind Matters to help people look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.

Every Mind Matters shows people the simple steps they can take to be better prepared for life’s ups and downs.

The new platform, which has been endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RGCP), aims to help people create a personalised action plan recommending a set of self-care actions to deal with stress, boost mood, improve sleep and feel in control.

A special film to promote Every Mind Matters has been written by Richard Curtis and directed by Rankin, narrated by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

It shows how we can all look after our mental health and will be aired at around 8:45pm this evening (Monday 7 October) across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky.

Well-known faces

The film features a range of people whose lives have been affected by poor mental health, including a cast of well-known faces: Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Freddie Flintoff, Professor Green, Davina McCall, Jordan Stephens, Will Young, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Nadiya Hussain, Sarah Taylor, Rob Beckett, Katie Piper, Joe Sugg and Alastair Campbell.

The launch follows 18 months of planning and local and regional piloting, developed with clinical and academic experts, national mental health charities and input from people with experience of poor mental health.

Clinically-assured by the NHS, Every Mind Matters is evidence-based, and it shows people how to build simple changes into their daily lives – such as reframing unhelpful thoughts, breathing exercises and increasing physical activity.

All of these have well-evidenced impact on improving and maintaining good mental health, which can help people to get more out of life, feel and function better, have more positive relationships and manage difficult times – now and in the future.

This new resource is available for the public and for GPs to advise their patients to use.  The NHS will also promote Every Mind Matters to its workforce.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our health - both mental and physical - is an asset that needs to be nurtured.

“We’re all aware of the benefits of looking after our physical health and the steps we can take to keep ourselves healthy, but many of us are not as knowledgeable or proactive as we could be when it comes to our mental health.

“Every Mind Matters will benefit us all with an accessible tool to help manage our wellbeing at the click of a button.

Support

"It will offer vital support to those living with a mental health condition and give each of us valuable and personalised tips on how to better cope with life’s daily struggles, while contributing to tackling the stigma that can still surround mental health.”

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said: “Our health is affected by our circumstances, including having a job, friends and a roof over our heads.

“Anxiety, stress, low mood and trouble sleeping can affect everyone. Every Mind Matters aims to help people to better handle life’s ups and downs.”

Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, added: “Over the past few years there’s been a profound sea change in public attitudes and awareness about mental health.

"So, at the same time the NHS is expanding the availability of specialist mental health support and treatment, people are increasingly interested in practical steps they can take themselves to prevent and manage common mental health problems such as anxiety, stress and depression.

“That’s where Every Mind Matters comes in, as a helpful complement to the work of NHS mental health teams and services.”

You can discover simple steps for a healthier mind and create your bespoke action plan at www.everymindmatters.co.uk

If you want to speak to a BACP counsellor near you, visit our Directory.