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Workplace Mental Health First Aid
Become a qualified Mental Health First Aider in the workplace, certified by MHFA England
Up to 2-day course (varies)
Delivered online or face-to-face
Up to 25 attendees (varies)
Perfect for all staff
MHFA England certified courses
Workplace Mental Health First Aid Training Courses
With many years of experience in delivering workplace Mental Health First Aid Training, we have a variety of options available to suit all businesses.
Our available courses, all delivered by MHFA England certified trainers, include:
- Mental Health First Aid Training
- Mental Health First Aid Champion Training
- Mental Health Aware Training
- Mental Health First Aid Refresher Courses
Keep reading to learn more about each workplace Mental Health First Aid course, and to determine which is the best option for your business.
MHFA Open Courses
For smaller businesses, or organisations that need to regularly train small groups, we offer MHFA Open Courses.
This runs exactly the same as a MHFA Two-Day Course, however, attendees will be a mix of delegates from a variety of businesses, rather than from just one organisation.
You can book a single place or several, depending on your requirements.
We hold these courses on regular dates throughout the year. To find out more information about our next MHFA Open Course, click below.
Workplace Mental Health First Aid Courses
Mental Health First Aid - Two-Day Course
- 16-hours
- On-Site or Online
- 8 - 16 attendees
- Attendees become MHFAiders
This is the primary and most popular course from Mental Health First Aid England. Upon completion, delegates are certified as MHFAiders, allowing them to support their colleagues with mental health conversations.
Attendees will have:
- An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing.
- Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues.
- Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress.
- Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening.
- Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support.
Certification:Â Those who complete the course will become Mental Health First Aiders.
Resources:Â A certificate of attendance, a physical workbook, a digital MHFA manual and access to the MHFA England Support App.
Mental Health First Aid Champion Training - One-Day Course
- 8-hours
- On-Site or Online
- 8 - 16 attendees
- Attendees become MHFA Champions
This course is less comprehensive than the full two-day course, but aims to give attendees the skills and knowledge to champion mental health in their workplace.
Attendees will have:
An understanding of common mental health issues.
Knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness.
Ability to spot signs of mental ill health.
Skills to support positive wellbeing.
Certification:Â Those who complete the course will become Mental Health First Aid Champions.
Resources:Â A certificate of attendance, a physical workbook and a digital MHFA manual.
Mental Health First Aid Aware Training - Half-Day Course
- 4-hours
- On-Site or Online
- 8 - 25 attendees
- Attendees become MHFA Aware
This is the introductory course offered by MHFA England, aiming to give attendees an overall awareness of mental health.
Attendees will cover:
- What mental health is and how to challenge stigma.
- A basic knowledge of some common mental health issues.
- An introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing.
- Confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
Certification:Â Those who complete the course will become Mental Health First Aid Champions.
Resources:Â A certificate of attendance, a physical workbook and a digital MHFA manual.
Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training - Half-Day Course
- 4.5-hours
- On-Site or Online
- 8 - 25 attendees
- For MHFAiders (Every 3 years)
Just like physical first aid, mental health first aid needs a regular top-up too.
MHFA England recommends that all Mental Health First Aiders (who have attended the full two-day course only) should take an MHFA Refresher course every 3 years.
The Mental Health First Aid Refresher course gives attendees the opportunity to:
- Renew their skills
- Update their knowledge of mental health support
- Practice applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan
- Access three years of MHFAider® Support and Benefits
Workplace Mental Health First Aid Certification
All attendees who complete the course will receive an official MHFA England certificate of attendance. This demonstrates their understanding of mental health awareness and their ability to support others in the workplace.
Benefits of Mental Health Awareness Training in the Workplace
Mental health awareness training can make a real difference across your organisation, helping to create a more open and supportive working environment.
Key benefits include:
- A better understanding of mental health across your team
- More open conversations and reduced stigma
- Greater confidence when supporting colleagues
- A more supportive and inclusive workplace culture
- Earlier recognition of potential mental health issues
Overall, this type of training helps organisations take a more proactive and practical approach to employee wellbeing.
Clients of all sizes and budgets love working with us
Well paced, informative
“This was the second New Leaf course I have attended and both have been excellent. They are well paced, informative and delivered in a fun and interesting way. The MHFA course will prove useful not only in the work environment but in everyday life too and I would strongly recommend it.”
Richard G.
Delegate from Euler Hermes
Delivered with Compassion
“A challenging subject delivered with compassion and professionalism. The boundaries clearly and repeatedly articulated to keep us safe as we re-enter our work environments was central to the training and much appreciated. New Leaf highly recommended.”
Joe C.
Delegate from Leeds NHS Trust
Invaluable
“Our employees came away with the confidence that they would be much better placed how to respond should they encounter colleagues or otherwise suffering with a mental health issue. An invaluable offering, thank you.”
Sian L.
Delegate from Fieldcore
Why Train with New Leaf Health?
At New Leaf Health, we’ve been helping workplaces improve their employee wellbeing for over 25 years. We work with a wide range of businesses in different sectors, from small businesses to government organisations, across various industries.
We provide a tailored approach to workplace wellbeing, ensuring our training meets the unique needs of your employees and business goals.
Not only do we deliver workplace mental health first aid courses, but we can also help your company with more training services, including Mental Health Training for Managers, Employee Resilience and Wellbeing Training, Mental Health Training for Employees, Workplace Counselling Services, and Wellbeing Workshops. Our services are designed to meet your employees’ needs.
Workplace Mental Health First Aid FAQs
What is Workplace Mental Health First Aid?
Workplace mental health first aid is a structured approach to supporting employees who may be experiencing poor mental health. It focuses on early intervention and guiding individuals towards appropriate professional help. Employees who go through mental health first aid training learn how to support colleagues who may be struggling with their mental health in a safe manner.
What is mental health awareness?
Mental health awareness is the understanding of how mental health affects individuals. This includes reducing stigma, signs of poor mental health, and how to respond in an appropriate manner.
This mental health awareness first aid course aims to give attendees the knowledge and confidence to recognise signs of poor mental health and support others in a safe and appropriate way.
What is an MHFA Champion?
MHFA Champions have the skills and knowledge to provide support for the most common mental health issues in the workplace.
Additionally, MHFA Champions in the workplace help to build a mentally healthy culture, challenge stigma, and support positive wellbeing.
We also offer a Workplace Wellbeing Champions Training course, suitable for employees who want to take a more active role in promoting wellbeing across their organisation.
What's the difference between a Mental Health First Aider and an MHFA Champion?
A workplace Mental Health First Aider has the skills and knowledge to respond to a wide variety of mental health situations in the workplace, including providing support in a crisis. They are equipped to provide the highest level of support under the MHFA England framework.
An MHFA Champion can still offer support around common workplace mental health issues, but they wouldn’t respond in a crisis.
MHFA England provides a structured approach to workplace Mental Health First Aid, where Mental Health First Aiders sit above MHFA Champions in terms of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities.
What does a Mental Health First Aider do in the Workplace?
Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace are the point of contact for those experiencing mental health challenges or emotional distress.
The MHFAider provides initial support, and then points the employee to professional services, internal support networks, or mental health resources to help them manage their mental wellbeing.
Mental Health First Aiders can also have the role, alongside MHFA Champions, of promoting a positive mental health culture in the workplace to create a supportive work environment.
Is it a legal requirement to have Mental Health First Aiders?
While it is not a legal requirement for a workplace in the UK to have qualified Mental Health First Aiders, the Health and Safety Executive recommends considering mental health alongside physical health when assessing workplace first aid needs.
Having qualified Mental Health First Aiders demonstrates a commitment to employee wellbeing and mental health support can bring lots of benefits to your organisation. Including:
- Better staff retention
- Improved employee wellbeing
- A healthier work culture
- Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
How Many Mental Health First Aiders Do You Need?
There is no fixed number of Mental Health First Aiders required for a workplace, as it depends on factors such as organisation size, structure, and risk levels.
Consider the number of employees you have and working hours and shift patterns to ensure there’s at least one trained Mental Health First Aider available across different teams or locations.
The nature of the work and potential stress levels is also an important factor when deciding how many you may need. To help you understand this further, we have created an Employee Health Calculator to estimate potential health risks within your organisation.
What is the impact of poor mental health in the workplace?
Not only does poor mental health in the workplace mean your employees feel stressed and unsupported, it also impacts businesses financially. It is estimated that poor mental health costs UK employers between £42 billion and £45 billion every year due to factors like staff turnover, sick leave, and presenteeism.
Investing in mental health training and support can improve employee morale, reduce costs related to sickness absence, and promote a positive, high-performing work culture.
What other workplace wellbeing services do you offer?
At New Leaf Health, we specialise in all aspects of workplace wellbeing, including mental health training. Our most popular services include:
- Employee Health Checks – Blood pressure and body composition checks for employees delivered in your workplace.
- Employee Health Screening – Medically validated cholesterol and blood glucose testing.
- Corporate Wellbeing Fairs – A variety of wellbeing tests and topics in one engaging wellbeing fair event.
- Workplace Wellbeing Leadership Course – learn how to evaluate and implement a workplace wellbeing strategy.