Mental Health First Aiders: Workplace Considerations’ – IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health):
IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health), one of the UK’s leading Health and Safety Professional organisations has produced a report and guidance entitled ‘Mental Health First Aiders: Workplace Considerations’ which considers the adoption and implementation of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) as an intervention and summarises some of its pros and cons for organisations and employers regarding the introduction of MHFA, from its recent IOSH funded research.
IOSH research in 2018 found that MHFA appeared to be a “useful vehicle” for raising awareness around mental health issues and HSE research last year also concluded that “There is consistent evidence that MHFA training raises employees’ awareness of mental ill-health conditions.” Also, a Public Health England (PHE) and RAND Europe evaluation concluded that MHFA ranked highly in relation to evidence based interventions.
Research on workplace wellbeing interventions is still at an early stage however and MHFA England is working with the HSE and the Centre for Mental Health on the development of new research to further look into the impact of MHFA on the person trained and those they support in the workplace.
The key point and key conclusion of this IOSH Report is that appointing Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) must not be seen as the primary control for dealing with poor mental health in the workplace. The founding principle of good occupational safety and health (OSH) practice is prevention. Employers taking preventative measures is a legal duty – to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the people they employ. Management systems and controls must be effective against workplace stressors and ill-treatment. Action must also be taken routinely to de-stigmatise mental ill-health throughout the organisation, promoting and supporting positive mental wellbeing.
Mental Health First Aiders on the other hand are a recovery control and an additional measure. They are not there to provide any treatment, counselling or professional guidance but are importantly there for people in distress and to focus on encouraging the person experiencing mental health issues, stress, anxiety etc., to talk, to accept what they are feeling and then to seek professional medical help. The Mental Health First Aider merely listens and initially helps the person experiencing mental or emotional distress to take personal ownership. The Mental Health First Aider will then ‘signpost’ or point to where that person can obtain specialist help and advice, encouraging them to act.
These two key factors are two sides of the same coin in the implementation of a ‘holistic’ mental health management system approach to tackle the causes of mental ill health as well as ensuring support for those in need. A growing number of organisations are now seeing Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) as one important aspect of their full arrangements for managing and promoting mental wellbeing.
The short, interesting report covers a number of other points around MHFA on structuring a system, design, volunteers, promotion, support, access and monitoring and will be useful in discussions with our employers.
The report concludes that all workers and managers would benefit from knowing how to identify the early symptoms of common mental disorders, whether caused domestically or at work. Early referral to a Mental Health First Aider, before the onset of a chronic condition, may mean subsequent medical assistance is applied earlier and has a better chance of being effective more quickly.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
19LTB447 Mental Health First Aiders Workplace Considerations – IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health) I
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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