THE air crash in the Alps should not be used to “persecute” people with mental health problems, campaigners have warned.
See Me, which campaigns to end mental health stigma in Scotland, issued a statement about the media coverage of the disaster.
“There has been detailed discussion in the media on Andreas Lubitz history of mental illness and what possible effect this had on his actions.”
See Me, which is funded by the Scottish Government and Comic Relief, said much of the debate had focused on whether or not Lubitz should have been able to work as a pilot given he had a history of depression.
They added: “It is not yet known the reasons for Mr Lubitz actions. We are concerned that based on assumptions about his mental health, there have been numerous calls for new measures which would make it harder for anyone with a history of mental health conditions to work in certain roles.
“The individual decisions of one man should not be used to persecute a huge number of people who help make up our society.”
According to the charity, one in six people in work in the UK have experienced mental health conditions and hold positions at all levels within organisations, contributing positively to workplaces.
“Employers need to consider what they can do to maximise support for their employees whether that is getting help, treatment or looking at adjusted working arrangements,” they said.
“Rather than barring people with a history of mental illness from certain roles, as many people have called for in the past few days, we would call for more employers to look at the individuals involved, take a person centred approach and avoid discriminating against whole sections of society.”
