The next course will run on the following dates:

This course may be delivered face to face or online – to be confirmed.

If delivered online, Zoom will be used. You will need a device with a microphone and camera together with a suitably fast internet connection. Although mobile devices and tablets can be used, we recommend the use of a laptop or desktop PC for the best experience. Some devices provided by employers may have restrictions in place. Please use this Zoom test link to check your set up before booking.

You will be sent the necessary login link about a week before the course start date. Should you have any concerns about the accessibility of remote delivery please contact us to discuss how we can best help you.

To become a mental health first aider you must complete a two-day MHFA course. This is a comprehensive awareness and skills course, which includes a mix of presentations, discussions and group work activities. For more information on the course content, please visit www.mhfaengland.org.

Every MHFA course is delivered by a quality assured instructor who has completed our Instructor Training programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health.

Anyone can attend an MHFA course but an interest in mental health and wellbeing is desirable. When you have completed the course, you will receive a certificate to confirm that you are a trained mental health first aider and a fold-out card summarising the five-step MHFA action plan to carry with you.

In general, the role of a mental health first aider in the workplace is to be a point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting the person to get appropriate help.

As well as in a crisis, mental health first aiders are valuable in providing early intervention help for someone who may be developing a mental health issue. They are not trained to be therapists or psychiatrists, but they can offer initial support through non-judgemental listening and guidance.

Mental health first aiders are trained to:

• spot the early signs and symptoms of mental ill health
• start a supportive conversation with a colleague who may be experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress
• listen to the person non-judgementally
• assess the risk of suicide or self-harm
• encourage the person to access appropriate professional support or self-help strategies, which might include encouraging access to internal support systems such as EAPs or in-house counselling services
• escalate to the appropriate emergency services, if necessary
• maintain confidentiality as appropriate
• complete critical incident documents as and when necessary
• protect themselves while performing their role

At no time does the mental health first aider role (or anyone trained in MHFA skills) supersede company policy:  first and foremost, they are all employees of the company.

To become a mental health first aider you must complete a two-day MHFA course. This is a comprehensive awareness and skills course, which includes a mix of presentations, discussions and group work activities. For more information on the course content, please visit www.mhfaengland.org.

Every MHFA course is delivered by a quality assured instructor who has completed our Instructor Training programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health.

Anyone can attend an MHFA course but an interest in mental health and wellbeing is desirable. When you have completed the course, you will receive a certificate to confirm that you are a trained mental health first aider and a fold-out card summarising the five-step MHFA action plan to carry with you.

In general, the role of a mental health first aider in the workplace is to be a point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting the person to get appropriate help.

As well as in a crisis, mental health first aiders are valuable in providing early intervention help for someone who may be developing a mental health issue. They are not trained to be therapists or psychiatrists, but they can offer initial support through non-judgemental listening and guidance.

Mental health first aiders are trained to:

• spot the early signs and symptoms of mental ill health
• start a supportive conversation with a colleague who may be experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress
• listen to the person non-judgementally
• assess the risk of suicide or self-harm
• encourage the person to access appropriate professional support or self-help strategies, which might include encouraging access to internal support systems such as EAPs or in-house counselling services
• escalate to the appropriate emergency services, if necessary
• maintain confidentiality as appropriate
• complete critical incident documents as and when necessary
• protect themselves while performing their role

At no time does the mental health first aider role (or anyone trained in MHFA skills) supersede company policy:  first and foremost, they are all employees of the company.

Supporting your mental health first aiders

Internal support is important to successfully embed Mental Health First Aid into an organisation.

Every organisation will have a different approach to how they support their mental health first aiders but here are some examples of support strategies which have proven successful:

• setting up networks (with a clear remit) for support and idea sharing (perhaps overseen by someone with a HR background)
• putting in place a mental health first aider role and policy document to ensure clarity on expectations
• empowering mental health first aiders to maintain their skills with regular refresher skills training (the recommended gap is two years, in line with physical first aid training)
• develop and promote clear referral or assistance pathways so mental health first aiders can signpost effectively to support
• increase mental health literacy across the rest of the organisation to help normalise the conversation around mental health

Promoting your mental health first aiders

It is a good idea to make employees aware of who the trained mental health first aiders are within the organisation so that they know who to approach if they are experiencing mental health issues. Again, how each organisation approaches this can be different, but the following ideas can be considered:

• include mental health first aiders’ identities alongside the physical first aiders’ identities at key places within the office, perhaps at the photocopying stations or kitchen areas
• include a list of mental health first aiders with name, photograph and contact details on the intranet
• provide mental health first aiders lanyards or badges for easy identification

Measuring impact

We recommend identifying some key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure you can measure the impact and outcomes of your investment in MHFA. These could be a mix of anecdotal evidence and data, for example:

• number of people accessing your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or other organisational assistance support programmes
• rate of sickness absence and return to work, ideally tracked both before and after MHFA training has been introduced
• staff surveys and evaluations following MHFA training sessions
• percentage of people trained who have applied what they learned on the MHFA course
• percentage of managers feeling more confident speaking to employees about mental health in the workplace
• percentage increase in employees who would feel comfortable speaking to their line manager about mental health
• number of critical incident forms filled out by trained mental health first aiders

Strategic approach

MHFA training is most effective when integrated as part of a strategic approach to wellbeing. You might consider how you can:

• position mental health as a boardroom issue, on a par with physical health
• promote and communicate wellbeing as a key driver for productivity and maximising performance
• make employee wellbeing a core part of line manager job responsibilities and provide appropriate time, resource and training so they can support the staff they manage
• recruit, promote and support line managers with excellent interpersonal skills
• support line managers to maintain their own wellbeing
• develop and promote clear referral or assistance pathways so managers can take appropriate action to support employees