A Green MP has announced she is taking a leave of absence from her parliamentary duties after suffering “burnout”.
Carla Denyer, the party’s former co-leader, will be off work for several weeks, following medical advice to aid her recovery.
The MP for Bristol Central revealed she has been grappling with “persistent health issues” over recent years. She expressed her hope to “combat the stigma” surrounding burnout by openly sharing her experience.
Her constituency office will continue to operate as usual throughout her absence, she confirmed.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ms Denyer wrote: “Over the last few years, I have been struggling with persistent health issues, and I have been trying to manage these alongside the long hours and significant responsibility my work entails.
“It has become clear that this is not an effective strategy and that doing so is inhibiting my ability to recover. Having taken advice from my doctor, I will be taking several weeks off in order to try to get back to full health.
“I want to be open about the fact that what I am suffering from is burnout – and the mental and physical symptoms that arise from it.
“Burnout is a condition that does not tend to get better on its own. If left unmanaged, it can worsen and increase your risk of long-term health problems.”
She said the condition would be “familiar to many people in all walks of life, especially those working in high-stress environments and in people-facing professions such as nurses, teachers and social workers.”
Ms Denyer added: “But it is also something that too often is not openly discussed. I hope that by sharing my own struggles, I can help in some small way to combat the stigma around it and contribute to a more open conversation.
“Making the decision to take time off for my health was incredibly difficult. It is an honour to represent the people of Bristol Central.
“And I know that by stepping back for a little while now, I will ultimately be able to return as a better champion for the community that means so much to me.”
