Dave Swann, a former army paramedic from Hereford, is leading a campaign to enhance mental health in the workplace. With 23 years of service in the Royal Army Medical Corps, including deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia, Swann understands the toll of mental health issues, having battled his own.
His app, Our Pulse, aims to monitor the wellbeing of employees, promoting discussion and awareness about mental health in the workplace. Swann emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health proactively, citing personal experiences and the loss of family, friends, and colleagues to suicide or attempted suicide.
Having witnessed traumatic events while serving, Swann acknowledges the challenges of “bottling up” emotions to fulfill duties, likening it to a “ticking time bomb.” Our Pulse, he believes, could potentially save lives by encouraging self-care and fostering open discussions about mental health.
The app operates by prompting users to complete weekly surveys about their work-related emotions. This data is then provided to the employer anonymously, allowing them to gauge their employees’ wellbeing. Additionally, users have the option to reach out to the company’s mental health lead for further support if needed.
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