CET workforce given access to qualified in-house mental health first aiders

CET has trained a team of mental health first aiders, featuring representatives from across its whole UK business. This provides every CET colleague with access to emergency emotional support services.

The issue of mental health is important because one in four adults in the UK experience common mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. In addition, as many as one in five adults have considered taking their own life at some point.

CET is therefore committed to treating emotional and mental health welfare as seriously as physical safety. The mental health training was delivered in partnership with Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA), and provided a qualification accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health.

CET's first group of qualified in-house mental health first aiders

Key modules covered by the training included depression, suicide, substance misuse, anxiety disorders, self-harm, eating disorders and psychosis.

Janet Fairhurst, CET HR Advisor, said:

“I am proud of our newly accredited mental health first aiders and congratulate them on receiving their qualification. With mental health affecting one in seven people in UK workplaces, this allows CET to be receptive to mental health symptoms and respond with appropriate and effective support.”

As well as developing its staff, this programme is the latest in a deliberate drive by CET to raise awareness of mental health. Janet continued;

“This follows on from a Summer 2018 mental health education and fundraising event involving 400 of our colleagues. That programme included spotting signs of mental health distress, and eliminating the stigma associated with it. The recently completed mental health training builds on this by increasing the speed at which help can be sought.”

Contact details of CET’s mental health first aiders have been communicated to all staff through internal communication and are listed on notice boards at each of the Company’s sites.