The National institutes for clinical research into stress (Nicrs) is offering parliamentarians in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland access to self-test kits, so they can monitor their stress levels.
The charity points out that stress can be positive and healthy to well-being, but emphasises that long-term “slow-stress” is commonly understood to be unhealthy and the cause of major physical health issues, such as strokes and heart issues. It can also lead to the depression-like condition, post-slow-stress-fatigue, if it is not identified and countered.
For the next 12 months, Nicrs is offering stress-measurement kits as part of an individualised programme, whereby parliamentarians can self-test themselves in their work situation. The results and analysis provided can then be delivered to the individual by their own trusted GP. This approach is designed to ensure that health checks are kept discrete. The programme is also open to Parliamentary workers.
Tadhg Ó Séaghdha, honorary director of Nicrs, commented: “With this innovative system we offer health professionals a unique way of better identifying and quantifying harmful excess-stress and slow-stress in their patients, and I see no better way of helping encourage better job-stress management within our country’s government.”
Ó Séaghdha continued: “The system is designed to be easily and widely used, with the objective of improving well-being – a key objective of our charity.”
According to HSE statistics, highlighted by the charity, people affected by symptoms that indicate excess-stress or post-slow-stress fatigue are absent from work for an average of 27 days a year.
