9.11am update: Civil servants offered counselling over Brexit
Civil servants were offered counselling – funded by the tax payer - to help them cope with the stress of Brexit, it has emerged.
Staff working mainly on "emergency preparedness in case of a no deal scenario" had access to support from specialist support workers as part of contract with Gloucester-based employee assistance firm Care First.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spent £40,000 on counselling services for staff in London, York and Bristol, according to the BBC.
The care package ran alongside Defra's in-house mental health services while the department made changes to its support programmes and ended on 31 January.
A Defra spokeswoman said the department was committed to the mental health, safety and well-being of its employees, and had "a range of services on offer to support staff's mental health".
Civil servants were offered counselling – funded by the tax payer - to help them cope with the stress of Brexit, it has emerged.
Staff working mainly on "emergency preparedness in case of a no deal scenario" had access to support from specialist support workers as part of contract with Gloucester-based employee assistance firm Care First.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spent £40,000 on counselling services for staff in London, York and Bristol, according to the BBC.
The care package ran alongside Defra's in-house mental health services while the department made changes to its support programmes and ended on 31 January.
A Defra spokeswoman said the department was committed to the mental health, safety and well-being of its employees, and had "a range of services on offer to support staff's mental health".
