IPA hones in on business mental health issues

INSTITUTE of Public Accountants (IPA) chief executive officer, Andrew Conway, has addressed hundreds on delegates at IPA’s national congress being held in Adelaide this week, highlighting the extensive work the Institute is doing in the mental health arena.

“Having carried out an Australia wide road show, gathering feedback from small businesses and small accounting practices, the message we received loud and clear was that the mental health of small business has become a paramount issue,” Prof Conway said.

“We heard of many stories of true concern; too many to ignore. Our members echoed these sentiments and as trusted advisers; they are in an inevitable position of trying to assist clients who are facing such issues as depression and anxiety.

“The IPA has advocated for a Federal response.  A roundtable meeting with the Prime Minister in late 2018 has led to a series of government run working groups to address the issue of the mental health of small business," he said.

“This work is ongoing, and IPA continues to be represented on such forums to generate recommendations for government.

“In addition, we have provided mental health first aid training to senior staff and members.  We are looking to extend our research to ensure we have an evidence-based approach to policy development in this area,” Prof Conway said.

 

About the Institute of Public Accountants

The IPA, formed in 1923, is one of Australia’s three legally recognised professional accounting bodies.  In late 2014, the IPA acquired the Institute of Financial Accountants in the UK and formed the IPA Group, with more than 37,000 members and students in over 80 countries.  The IPA Group is the largest SME focused accountancy organisation in the world. The IPA is a member of the International Federation of Accountants, the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board and the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants.   

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