UK Athletics has appointed Priory Healthcare to offer support to athletes outside the World Class Programme (WCP) and across the wider sport.

The appointment was made following a recent review of mental health services and support available to athletes who represent GB & NI as well as Athletics Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. It recognised that many athletes who compete at the highest level but are not supported on the WCP experience the same stresses and demands in relation to training, competition, as well as balancing these requirements alongside employment and financial living cost responsibilities

The renewed relationship with Priory Healthcare will provide non programme athletes with a clear self-referral signposting system to promptly access a nationwide network of expertise via the Priory’s Wellbeing Centres and Hospitals.

UKA and England Athletics’ Duty of Care lead Jane Fylan said:

“We are delighted to be able to confirm this arrangement with Priory Healthcare which will support many athletes who perform at the highest level but aren’t necessarily in receipt of WCP funding or support.

“We’ve worked closely with the performance team at British Athletics to identify the wider requirements. Athletics is a big sport and the numbers representing both GB & NI and the home nations across the year are significant. We’re pleased to now be able to offer quality mental health support in this way to a wider group of athletes.

“We do advocate strongly that individuals should seek referral via their GP in the first instance, however with the ever-growing demands on GPs and the NHS as a whole we also understand the need for those seeking to access a private referral system both promptly and confidentially.”

Priory Healthcare’s Chief Operating Officer, Gair Stott, said:

“We are proud to partner with UK Athletics, which is committed to a culture that supports and empowers individuals to talk about their mental health. Our nationwide network of hospitals and Wellbeing Centres offers high-quality treatment, by top specialists in their field, and we have a long track record of supporting sportsmen and women.

“The visibility of today’s athletes can exacerbate the pressures they are under, professionally and personally. Some people assume that mental health issues in athletes are rare, as they’re perceived to be extremely physically healthy with fewer psychological issues. In truth, mental illness is likely to be as common in athletes as it is in the general population. With access to our psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists, Priory Healthcare hopes it can support the UK’s athletes’ mental health, alongside their physical health, which has true benefits all round.”

ENDS

For more information contact:

Liz Birchall

M: 07718 526363

E: [email protected]

Or [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

For World Class Programme athletes there is extensive provision of these services currently delivered by Cognacity and BUPA respectively.  http://cognacity.co.uk/british-athletics-team-up-with-mental-health-experts-cognacity/

UK Athletics

UK Athletics is the national governing body of the leading Olympic and Paralympic sport in Britain. British Athletics is the sport we represent, the people, the athletes, the fans, the team.

We work closely with the home countries to develop and grow all areas of the sport including elite performance, coaching, major international events, competition and grassroots programmes within schools and clubs.

For more information visit www.britishathletics.org.uk

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About Priory and MEDIAN

Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services. We treat more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across our nationwide network of sites. We also support autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within our specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.

Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of high quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises 290 facilities with 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people in the UK, 120 facilities with 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients in Germany, and 15 facilities with 2,000 beds caring for 13,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees overall.