Planning for Good Mental Health & Social Inclusion

Commissioned by a major Surrey NHS Trust success the training 'Planning for Good Mental Health & Social Inclusion' has been a great success and is now running throughout 2010.  Attendees include health visitors, GPs, occupational therapists, members, social workers and day centre workers.  Library managers and staff have joined the training cohort, making for diverse and lively learning.  The training has been put together by John Vanek, an experienced Social Inclusion bridge builder and qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor.

The value of the one-day course is that it incorporates both mental health awareness as well as social inclusion assessment tools.   Tools such as the 'web' and 'recovery star' are demonstrated along with an opportunity for attendees to do hands-on peer assessment.  Many attendees have testified to the value of learning about social inclusion assessment and how it could be used for their own clients.

Current attendees on the 'Planning for Good Mental Health & Social Inclusion' course cover a broad range of professional disciplines from across NHS and commissioning services.  These have included health visitors, social workers, a service commissioner, a GP, specialised physiotherapist and dieticians.  Recently the trainings have been joined by library staff and managers.  Employment services are also showing interest in commissioning the programme.

The course is designed to be of benefit for anyone who is a service provider, not specifically within the caring or health professions.

Typical groups who benefit from the trainings include:

Employers who wish to know more about common mental health conditions

Business owners who wish to address problems of lost productivity due to undiagnosed or diagnosed staff mental health problems

Anyone who wishes to know more about current mental health legislation and their legal rights and requirements.

Community-based workers who wish to learn about developments in social inclusion over the last fifty years.

HR practitioners who wish to gain simple assessment skills and tools for helping clients or employees make a successful return to mainstream life after illness or setback.

Health & Safety personnel keen to know more about what's out there for people who may be experiencing mild or more severe mental health challenges.

Testimonials from course attendees

MHFA symptom-specific interventions

The Mental Health First Aid course prescribes ALGEE as an umbrella intervention for all mental health conditions, from general anxiety through to full-blown pychosis. Inevitably, MHFA does not demaind that an intervention is the same for every condition that presents.  MHFA gives precise guidelines for the first aider who may be working with someone who is distressed and feeling suicidal.  These guidelines are in addition to ALGEE Assessing risk, Listening non-judgementally, Giving reassurance, Encouraging referral to other agencies and Encouraging self-help strategies.   For the person who is distressed and talking of suicide, MHFA guidelines are:

• If person is distressed and threatening do not get involved physically.
• Do not leave them alone, stay with them.
• Seek immediate help: 
• phone their GP and ask them to come out 
• dial 999
• take the person to the Accident & Emergency Department of the nearest hospital
• take the person to a GP
• call the NHS24 helpline

All or any of these guidelines may be useful in the event of a first aider who is involved with someone threatening suicide or in a highly distressed state.  As for all interventions, ALGEE still applies.

MHFA testimonials

MHFA Training delivered by Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind on behalf of the NE Mind Partnership have trained over 1800 individuals with outstanding feedback and results.

Mental Health First Aiders were asked for there stories on how MHFA has helped them. These are just a small selection;

I use MHFA daily, for example I had a tenant suffering a psychotic episode which I felt confident to deal with

I have used MHFA when a young Mum came into the centre and told me she felt like ending it all

I use it on a daily basis with clients and colleagues and feel I have made a real difference

I have a work colleague who suffers from epilepsy and associated depression and anxiety. I used ALGEE and offered advice and guidance over the phone.

MHFA Interventions

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) promotes five basic interventions for a qualified mental health first aider who comes into contact with signs and symptoms of a mental health condition. The action plan for Mental Health has five basic steps under the mnemonic ALGEE.

1. Assess risk (to oneself and the client)

2. Listen non-judgementally

3. Give reassurance and information

4. Encourage the person to get appropriate help and support

5. Encourage self-help strategies

Mental health condition can present across a spectrum, from mild sub-clinical concerns through to severe anxiety, distress and even full-blown psychosis.

A mental health crisis can occur when a person may feel suicidal or having anxiety attacks or be in an acute stress reaction or a person may be out of touch with reality in a distressing psychotic state. MHFA helps participants to develop and practice general strategies in a safe environment, that can be used in a first aid situation.

For a more in-depth course on suicide intervention skills it is recommended to attend an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) course.