Mental health first aid is now available to Council staff.

If you need to talk, contact the HR Helpdesk on 01324 506 222 (ext. 6222) and ask for a Mental Health First Aider. All conversations will be in confidence.

Mental health first aiders are colleagues who are trained to provide initial help to people experiencing thoughts of suicide or mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and psychosis. Specifically, mental health first aiders aim to:

• Preserve life
• Provide help however they can
• Prevent mental health issues or crises becoming serious
• Promote the recovery of good mental health
• Provide comfort to someone experiencing distress
• Communicate understanding of mental health issues

Ensuring our workforce experiences good mental health is essential to continue providing our services across the Falkirk area. Positive mental health in the workplace has benefits for both individuals and the Council:

• Positive personal life and outcomes
• Better working environment
• Improved productivity
• Reduced sickness absence

Over the coming months, more information will be communicated about mental health first aid in Falkirk Council. If you'd like to ask anything about mental health first aid, contact the Wellbeing team: wellbeing@falkirk.gov.uk