NHS celebrates training 200 south west Londoners in Mental Health First Aid
The achievement was marked with a special training session delivered for Healthwatch colleagues, and office staff working for Members of Parliament representing constituencies across South West London.
Mental Health First Aid is an internationally recognised training course delivered by MHFA England and is designed to teach people how to identify, understand, and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue on a first-aid basis.
The Trust’s training programme is supported by a special grant from NHS Charities Together’s COVID-19 Urgent Appeal Fund which raised over £150 million during the pandemic. The fund continues to be allocated to support local projects that make a difference to the lives of patients, volunteers, communities and NHS staff.
Commenting on a course at Springfield Hospital, Saoirse McGrory-Greene, Senior Case Worker, in Paul Kohler MP’s office said: “I’m delighted to have completed this training course. In our team we can often find ourselves acting as a first point of contact for local constituents experiencing mental ill heath, and today has been invaluable in giving me the knowledge and the confidence to be able to hold a supportive conversation and signpost to local support.”
Iyinoluwa Oshinowo, Engagement Coordinator for South West London Healthwatch Collaborative said: “Mental health training is a vital tool in fostering compassionate, supportive communities and I am really pleased to have been able to play a small part in that through joining today’s course. By equipping everyone with the knowledge and skills to respond to mental health challenges, we can create safer, more inclusive spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported.”
Isobel Johnson, Senior Case Worker in Siobhain McDonagh MP’s office said: “It is so important for everyone to have an understanding of mental health and mental ill health just as we do our physical health. This kind of training empowers people to step in during critical moments and provide a listening ear and a guiding hand to further support. By fostering awareness and empathy in our communities, we can help break the stigma and help signpost to different levels of support, be that self-help tools, or local services.”
Trust Chief Executive, Vanessa Ford, said: “Mental Health Awareness Week is a powerful reminder of the need for us all to continue working to break mental health stigma and empowering people to think differently about mental health and mental ill health.”
“Across South West London, supporting each other to look after our mental health and having the knowledge and confidence to intervene and signpost to support early on is so important. This can be crucial in enabling someone to recover or manage symptoms, and can prevent mental ill health going unchecked and unmanaged.”
“Creating a mental health aware community has benefits for us all. A huge thank you to everyone who has undertaken Mental Health First Aid training with us and committed to making a difference.”
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In its first phase, the Trust’s Mental Health Frist Aid programme has supported the opening of the new Springfield Village and the integration of Springfield Hospital with this new community. The village includes a new 32-acre park, a public square, new mental health facilities, retail outlets and over 1,200 new homes, with a third affordable. All new residents have been offered the opportunity to take up the training.
Looking ahead, the Trust is preparing to launch the next stage of its programme with the introduction of a new ‘Train the Trainer’ model, aimed at ensuring the sustainable roll-out of Mental Health First Aid training in the years to come.
The Trust is also developing a new mental health signposting hub, set to launch in the coming months. This digital resource will offer a central point of information on advice and support provided through a wide range of NHS and Third Sector organisations across South West London. This will be made available for all and will be promoted in particular to the thousands of people already trained in Mental Health First Aid across South West London.
Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive of MHFA England, said: "We are delighted to see South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust reach this milestone. By training 200 people in Mental Health First Aid, the Trust is playing a vital role in building a more mental health aware community.
“When people are equipped with the skills and confidence to spot the signs of poor mental health, start a conversation, and signpost to appropriate support, it creates a ripple effect – reducing stigma and improving lives. At MHFA England, our vision is of a nation where everyone’s mental health matters. Through partnerships like this, we are creating mentally healthy communities where people, services, and society can thrive."
