Mental Health First Aid

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty to look after the health, safety and welfare of their workers. Given that stress, anxiety and depression are now the biggest causes of sickness absence in the UK, this duty will include looking after the mental health of staff.

The Importance of Mental Health First Aid Training

Under the Equality Act 2010, mental ill health can be a disability if it has a long-term, substantial impact on day-to-day activities. Employers must consider reasonable adjustments and foster an open culture where mental health is discussed like physical health—reducing discrimination risk and helping tackle absence, performance issues and turnover.

Evidence from the Thriving at Work review (Deloitte) shows clear ROI: an average £4.20 return for every £1 invested in workplace mental health, with outcomes ranging from 40p to £9.

Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) are trained to spot signs, offer initial support and signpost help. They support Health & Safety duties, signal genuine care, and build an inclusive culture that can cut absence and presenteeism, lower turnover and boost productivity. Our training equips your people to act as effective MHFAs—taking proactive steps to safeguard wellbeing and keep teams in work.

How Loch can help

Our two-day course, available for up to 16 participants and backed by MHFA England, will train your employees to become Mental Health First Aiders and give them an in-depth understanding of mental health challenges and factors that can affect wellbeing. They’ll learn how to recognise the warning signs, develop the skills and confidence to reassure a person in distress and acquire the knowledge to signpost colleagues to further support. It can be delivered on-site at your location, or at a venue to suit you.

We also offer a one-day MHFA champion course, which is best suited to managers who want to gain an understanding of common mental health issues and increase their confidence in advocating for mental health awareness and supporting positive wellbeing.

For a more bespoke approach to supporting your workforce, our specialist Employment Lawyers, HR Consultants and Wellbeing and Mental Health Experts can collaborate with you to develop an organisation-wide wellbeing strategy.

Testimonials

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This is one of the best courses I have been on. The content has been very relevant and practical which will help me in my role and also in my personal life. The instructors have been engaging; passing on their passion for this subject.

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I was an attendee of your training course and after talking to my colleagues who were there we have all said how eye-opening and informative it was. We found the interactive approach that was taken was beneficial as we could relate and draw from our own experiences.

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I found this course to be excellent. The knowledge I have gained will be so useful for my work and personal life. The learning exercises were so good too. It was also beneficial to discuss experiences with others.

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