Press Releases
Mental health in workplace campaign kicks off
Employers and managers need to build a work environment which is conducive to promoting the mental health of their employees, Chairman of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, Dr Raymond Wu, said today (October 10).
Officiating at the opening ceremony of the 2001 Mental Health Month, Dr Wu said that living in a place renowned for its high work efficiency and fast pace of life such as Hong Kong, one had to be doubly careful about his mental health.
"Through this year's activities, we hope to be able to draw the attention of employers and managers to the importance of their employees' mental health and the need to build a harmonious and happy workplace."
Also officiating at today's ceremony were Mental Health Ambassador, Mr Allen Lee; Director of Home Affairs, Ms Shelley Lee; Director of Health, Dr Margaret Chan; Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr William Ho; Director of Social Welfare, Mrs Carrie Lam; Commissioner for Labour, Mrs Pamela Tan; and Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service, Miss Jennifer Mak.
The Mental Health Month is an annual publicity campaign organized by the Health and Welfare Bureau with the support of the Hospital Authority, various government departments and NGOs to promote public awareness on the importance of mental health.
Entitled "Mental Health in the Workplace", this year's campaign is aimed at enhancing the awareness of employers and employees on mental health and ways to deal with stress. The theme, extending over two years from 2000 to 2001, is to tie in with the World Mental Health Day which allows a broader examination of matters affecting employees at every level.
Today's opening ceremony was followed by a one-day symposium which was attended by about 600 employers and mangers. Guest speakers included managers from private and public enterprises, a clinical psychologist, and experts on mental health issues in the workplace.
In the ensuing three months, more than 70 activities - talks, workshops, exhibitions, recreational activities and visits - will be held across the territory. Among them are five regional symposia to promote a healthy workplace for employers and employees. Details are as follows:
Date: October 31 (Wednesday)
Venue: Hong Kong Space Museum, Tsim Sha Tsui
Date: November 10 (Saturday)
Venue: Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen
Date: November 17 (Saturday)
Venue: Christian Family Service Centre, Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong
Date: November 21 (Wednesday)
Venue: Sha Tin Town Hall, Sha Tin
Date: November 24 (Saturday)
Venue: Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Tsuen Wan
Members of the public can visit the homepage of the Health and Welfare Bureau ( http://www.info.gov.hk/hwb ) for more details of the Mental Health Month activities.
End/Wednesday, October 10, 2001
NNNN