Mental Health First Aid Training Courses
Poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year[i]. When staff are experiencing poor mental health, the negative impact it has upon their life and work is substantial. Looking after your staff's wellbeing is ethically the right thing to do. A significant evidence base also suggests that doing so will result in a more productive, task-focused workforce and ultimately increased productivity. In addition, as an employer you have certain regulatory responsibilities for your staff's health (see below - Acts and Regulations).
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course which teaches people the practical skills to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health. MHFA won’t teach your staff to be therapists, but just like a physical first aid course, it will give them the confidence and skills to listen, reassure and respond effectively, even in a crisis.
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Our Mental Health First Aid Training
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Every MHFA course is delivered by a qualified instructor who has completed the MHFA England Instructor Training programme, the only organisation licenced to run MHFA Instructor training programmes in England. Courses are accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health. Our Instructors are trained to keep people safe and supported while they learn.
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We offer a two-day Mental Health First Aid course which can be delivered either face-to-face or online (via four live sessions). Participants who complete this course will receive a certificate from MHFA England to confirm they are a Mental Health First Aider. We we also offer a half-day Mental Health Aware course:
Two Day Mental Health First Aid course
Our Two-Day Mental Health First Aid course can be delivered face-to-face or online. Online delivery consists of 4 x 3-hour live sessions. It gives participants the skills to be mental health first aiders; giving them a deep understanding of what mental health is and the practical skills to spot the signs in the workplace and know how to respond.
Why is Mental Health First Aid training important?
There are many reasons why training staff in how to spot and manage mental health conditions is important:
One in four adults in England suffer from a diagnosed mental health disorder - this could be 25% of your
workforce[ii]
Mental ill-health is responsible for 72 million working days lost in the UK[iii]
Stress and mental ill-health are both in the top three reasons for long-term sickness absence[iv]
For those with mental health conditions who aren’t absent but still continue to work – the cost of presenteeism is around £15.1 billion annually in the UK[v]
There is an enormous push from the Government and numerous organisations to find ways for people to communicate about mental health and get appropriate treatment. The workplace will increasingly be in the spotlight for ensuring employers make provisions for this.
Having a number of staff trained as mental health first aiders, means they can be the ‘go-to’ people for other staff in your organisation to speak to if they’re feeling they need support with their mental health
Developing a role of Mental Health First Aiders in your organisation means early signs and symptoms of poor mental health in employees is recognised and support is provided early, usually leading to a faster recovery.
Having an open environment to discuss mental health in your organisation creates a supportive culture for maintaining staff mental wellbeing.
Acts and Regulations - Employer Responsibilities
The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) puts a duty on employers to assess and manage health and safety risks in the workplace. The Act is relevant to mental health in that it classifies mental health issues arising as a result of work conditions as ‘personal injury’ and because it ensures basic rights in relation to healthy work standards.
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Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 employers are required to do a first aid needs assessment. In its guidance the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says:
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"You should consider ways to manage mental ill health in your workplace which are appropriate for your business, such as providing information or training for managers and employees, employing occupational health professionals, appointing mental health trained first aiders and implementing employee support programmes”.
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Mental Health First Aid England Resources
Mental Health First Aid England provides some useful free resources for workplaces, including information packs, posters and videos. Get resources.
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Refererences
i. Mental Health and Employers: Refreshing the Case for Investment. Deloitte. www2.deloitte.com
ii.. Mental Health Task Force NE. The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health 2016 (www.england.nhs.uk)
iii. Centre for ME. mhfaengland.org
iv. Data 2013 Office For National Statistics. www.ons.gov.uk
v. Centre for Mental Heatlh 'Managing Presenteeism' 2011 www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk
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