A Green Party MP has announced she will be taking a leave of absence from her parliamentary duties after experiencing burnout. Carla Denyer, the former co-leader of the party, will step away from work for several weeks on medical advice to aid her recovery.
The MP for Bristol Central revealed she has been dealing with "persistent health issues" over the past few years. She expressed her desire to "combat the stigma" surrounding burnout by openly discussing her experience.
Ms Denyer confirmed that her constituency office will continue to operate as usual during her absence.
In a statement released 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 noted that 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."
