Why have training with MHFA England?

UK businesses are losing over £1000 a year for every person they employ because of mental ill health in their workforces.

The total cost to businesses UK wide is £25.9 billion a year.

Employees are taking 70 million days sick leave a year because of mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression.

£15.1 billion of this total cost if from reduced productivity in people who continue to work while unwell.

How MHFA can help:

Mental health first aid (MHFA) is the help given to someone experiencing a mental health problem before professional help is obtained.

MHFA does not teach people to be therapists. However, it does teach people how to recognise the symptoms of mental health problems, how to provide initial help and how to guide a person towards appropriate professional help.

The aims of MHFA are:

• to preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others
• to provide help to prevent a mental health problem developing into a more serious state
• to raise awareness of mental health issues in the community
• to promote the recovery of good mental health
• to provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem
• to reduce stigma and discrimination

West Essex Mind is now offering MHFA

We can offer the new, national, certificated Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course.Our qualified instructors are accredited trainers with MHFA England and are committed to continuing their professional development.

The course is suitable for members of the public and employees working in any sector — in fact anyone interested in learning more about mental health, the symptoms of common mental health problems, the skills needed to support someone experiencing mental distress — and to guide them towards appropriate professional help.

We are able to offer individual places on open courses — or bespoke courses for larger groups.For more information on our courses in the Essex area please contact us at:

mhfa@westessexmind.org.uk