Green MP to take leave of absence on doctor’s advice over ‘burnout’
The Greens MP announced he was taking a leave of absence from parliamentary duties after experiencing “burnout”.
The party’s former co-leader, Carla Denyer, will stay away from work for several weeks following medical advice to help her recover.
The Bristol Central MP has revealed he has been struggling with “persistent health problems” in recent years. He expressed his hope to “fight the stigma” surrounding burnout by openly sharing his experience.
He confirmed that the constituency office would continue to operate as usual in his absence.
In a statement published on Friday, Ms Denyer wrote: “I have been struggling with persistent health problems for the last few years and have struggled to manage these alongside the long hours and significant responsibilities my job requires.
“It has become clear that this is not an effective strategy and that doing so is hindering my ability to recover. At the advice of my doctor, I will be taking a few weeks off to try to return to full health.”
“I want to be clear that what I am experiencing is burnout and the mental and physical symptoms that result from it.
“Burnout is a condition that doesn’t tend to get better on its own. If left unmanaged, it can get worse and increase your risk of long-term health problems.”
He said this situation is familiar “to those in all walks of life, especially those who work in high-stress environments and people-facing professions such as nurses, teachers and social workers.”
Ms Denyer added: “But it’s also a topic that isn’t often discussed openly. 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.”
“Deciding to take leave for my health was incredibly difficult. It is an honor to represent the people of Bristol Central.”
“And I know that if I step back for a while, I will eventually be able to come back a better champion for the community that means so much to me.”
