This year there are plans in place to improve mental health services across the country. This so-called Cinderella service, which has been under-funded in the past, now has politicians from all sides calling for improvement.
Are you up to the challenge?
Many jobs in mental health are within the NHS. However, there are also opportunities to work in the private sector, for example in care homes for the elderly or supported accommodation for young people.
There are also many charities across Scotland that provide support services for individuals and families affected by mental health issues.
As more businesses are seeing the benefit of supporting the hearts and minds of their workforce, there are also opportunities for counsellors within corporate environments.
Mental health nurses, for example, are based both in hospitals and in the community, whether that be a prison, a care home, a GP practice or a person’s home.
These nurses support a person’s recovery and can help with the administration of medicine. They can also monitor any side effects of medication and advise on relevant therapies.
A strong sense of empathy and top notch communication skills are crucial.
Charities and housing associations, meanwhile, employ support workers to work directly with clients to help them with the issues of day-to-day living.
Long-term mental health conditions can leave people isolated and a support worker can help overcome obstacles and get back into community life.
Assistance can also be in the form of financial advice and help with form filling or joining a club or a gym.
Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is more in-depth than counselling and psychotherapists can help with a wider range of issues.
A trained psychotherapist can help individuals understand how their personality and experiences can influence thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
In this way, they can help people deal with difficult situations in their life more effectively.
No matter which role suits your skills, the desire to work with people to change their lives is what all jobs within mental health have in common.
Sometimes you will be working with people in crisis and the work can be emotionally demanding.
However, as with any area of healthcare, there is surely no greater satisfaction than seeing a client restored to good health with your help.
Make up your own mind which of the top Medical and Healthcare vacancies on s1jobs suits you best.