25/08/2026
Working Minds: preventing work-related stress in health and social care.
Work-related stress is a significant health and safety issue for health and social care employers and their workers.
An estimated 134,000 workers in human health and social work activities were suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety over the 3-year period 2022 to 2025. This accounted for 52% of all work-related ill health in the sector, with the rate significantly higher than the average across all industries.
Work-related stress can be caused by factors including workload and working patterns, lack of control, relationships, support, role and organisational change. It can be prevented, and employers have a legal responsibility to assess and manage these risks.
HSE’s Working Minds campaign provides practical tools, guidance and free online learning to help employers and managers prevent work-related stress and make prevention part of everyday management.
The 5 Rs provide a simple approach: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect and Make it Routine.
Take practical action to prevent work-related stress:
Explore resources from Working Minds – find practical tools, templates and guidance to help prevent work-related stress
Take HSE's free Workplace Stress online learning – build your understanding through 6 interactive, bitesize modules based on practical workplace scenarios
Understand the impact of stress at work – learn more about the causes of work-related stress and how to identify and manage the risks
The law requires all employers to prevent work-related stress. Find out more about how you can use the five steps where you work: reach out, recognise, respond, reflect and make it routine.