Mental Health First Aid Training

First Aid for mental health is the initial support provided to a person experiencing a mental health problem until professional help is made available or until the person makes a full recovery. In the UK one in four people will have a mental health problem at some stage in their lifetime. Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave and concerns our emotional wellbeing.

Mental health encompasses the many different conditions that affect our mental wellbeing and includes anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol problems, self-harm, schizophrenia, postnatal depression, personality and eating disorders.

Mental health issues can be triggered by difficult life events, including dealing with a bereavement, but many are caused by work-related problems.

Work can also aggravate pre-existing conditions, and problems at work can bring on symptoms or make their effects worse.

Whether work is causing the overall health issue or fuelling it, employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees.

Therefore work-related mental health issues need to be assessed to measure the levels of risk to all staff, and where a risk is identified, the right course of action is needed to remove it or reduce the impact as reasonably practicable.  

Roles and Responsibilities of the Mental Health First Aider.

To act as the main point of contact for anyone suffering from mental health issues.

Identifying the early signs and symptoms of mental ill-health 

Start supportive conversations with people experiencing a mental health problem

Listen non-judgementally and provide reassurance

Assess the risk of self-harm and suicide

To signpost and encourage appropriate professional support

Reduce the stigma attached to mental health and promote awareness

Call for the appropriate emergency services when necessary

To maintain confidentiality and provide an on-going supportive working environment.

If you are interested in training to become a mental health first aider

Quantum First Aid is a professional provider of First Aid for Mental Health courses, we cater for individuals, but primarily the business, commercial and hospitality sectors. Depending at what level of training you require we offer courses to suit anybody looking to improve their knowledge of this area of expertise.