Frequently Asked Questions

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental illness each year. In 2016, 15.8 million UK work days were lost due to mental illness. The largest causes of sickness absence for our county’s workforce is depression, stress, and anxiety. Mental illness costs UK businesses around £35 billion every year, this equates to £10.6 billion lost to sickness absence, £21.2 billion in reduced productivity, and £3.1 billion in substituting staff members who vacate their roles due to mental illness.

Independent research and evaluation shows that taking part in a MHFA course raises awareness of mental illnesses, encourages early intervention to aid recovery, increases confidence in dealing with mental illnesses and reduces stigma. Research suggests that improving UK workplace mental health management could reduce employers’ losses attributed to mental illness by 30%, collectively saving £8 billion a year.

Becoming a Mental Health First Aid First Aider on our 2-day course will increase your mental health awareness and give you the skills necessary to have a non-judgmental conversation, recognise the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues and effectively guide a person towards the right mental health support. You will also gain an in depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing, as well as practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental illness and the confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress.

All instructors delivering Mental Health First Aid courses are approved and accredited by MHFA England and are DBS checked. We have extensive training experience and come from a variety of sectors. We have a passion for reducing stigma and empowering people to thrive with or without mental health issues. We provide first class training at a competitive rate.

Mental Health First Aid England give some guidance on the cost but this is negotiable. Please give us a call or email us and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Although it is not yet a legal requirement to have Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace the Health and Safety Executive says: “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.

No, no prior knowledge or experience is required.

Delegates on the two and one day courses will receive a manual, workbook and aide memoire. All delegates receive a certificate.

At the moment there isn’t a refresher, however this is likely to change and it is anticipated that it will be a three yearly refresher.

Yes, delegates must be aged 16 years or above.

Learning takes place through a mix of group activities, presentations and discussions. What you learn will depend on the length of course you attend.

No. There isn’t a formal assessment however you must attend all sessions in order to obtain a certificate.