MENTAL health charity Mind is calling on employers to address rising stress levels at work.

It says 12.8 million working days each year are lost to work-related stress nationally.

The organisation, which has a branch in Swindon, conducted a survey which showed that fewer than one in 10 companies have a policy on mental health although 98 per cent of respondents to a CBI survey felt mental health should be a company concern.

Mind chief executive Richard Brook said: "Clearly employers cannot afford to ignore the issues arising from the ever-increasing levels of occupational stress.

"We urge for more understanding and openness of stress and mental health problems in the workplace today's competitive and pressured work environments can make it difficult for people to disclose mental health problems."