Real Voices, Real Change: First aid is about mental health too
Why mental health belongs in every workplace first aid strategy
When we think about first aid, we often picture responding to a physical emergency. A fall. A burn. Someone who has stopped breathing.
Workplace first aiders are trained to recognise what has happened, provide immediate support and help someone access the care they need.
But not every sign of ill health is physical.
Sometimes helping begins with noticing that a colleague does not seem like themselves, asking a question and taking the time to listen.
While it isn’t part of your role as a first aider, and you should not try to diagnose any mental health conditions, there is a natural element of providing empathy, reassurance and support when providing first aid treatment to people.
If you are concerned about a colleague, or a traumatic event has taken place, simply knowing how to signpost to further support could be enough to help someone.
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2026 is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” It highlights the importance of listening to people with lived experience and using their voices to shape mental health support, services and practice.
For workplaces, it is an opportunity to consider whether mental health receives the same attention as physical health and safety.
Mental health is part of workplace health
Mental ill-health is one of the most significant health issues facing workplaces in Great Britain.
In 2024/25, an estimated 964,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety. These conditions accounted for 22.1 million working days lost.
Mental and physical health are closely connected. Stress, poor sleep, fatigue and some mental health difficulties may affect concentration, decision-making or a person’s ability to cope with the demands they are facing.
These experiences do not automatically make someone unsafe. They do, however, show why mental wellbeing should be considered as part of a wider approach to workplace health, safety and first aid.
Physical and mental health are not competing priorities. They are two parts of the same picture.
What listening can change
When James was experiencing thoughts of suicide, his manager, Phil Lloyd, noticed a change in his performance at work.
Phil gave James the encouragement he needed to talk about what he was experiencing and helped him find further support.
He did not need to diagnose the problem or have all the answers. He noticed that something had changed, created an opportunity for James to speak and helped him take the next step.
As Phil explains: “You can’t wave a magic wand, but being able to talk makes someone feel better. You’re not qualified to give medical advice, but you can listen and follow it up and reassure someone you care. My St John course taught me how to really listen.”
Mental health support is not about finding the perfect words or solving somebody’s problems.
Often, it begins by creating a safe space for someone to talk and helping them identify an appropriate source of support.
You do not need to have all the answers
A first aider is not responsible for diagnosing a mental health condition.
However, like any colleague, you may notice that somebody seems distressed, unusually overwhelmed or different from how they normally present.
Knowing how to respond calmly, listen without judgement and signpost someone towards appropriate support can help you offer assistance without taking on the role of a healthcare professional.
Shaun Cardwell was already a workplace mental health first aider when he experienced a traumatic incident in 2023. He lost a friend and was left fighting for his own life.
The mental health support he received afterwards gave him a renewed understanding of why support should be available in the workplace. Through assisting colleagues himself, he has also seen how valuable it can be simply to give someone the space to talk.
He said: “I think it’s important to talk about mental health to raise awareness. I think companies should give equal importance to mental wellbeing as they do to physical health and safety in the workplace.”
Basil Palakkadan Mathew, a wellbeing champion at Liverpool City Council, also reflects on the importance of understanding how to respond:
“In my role, I work closely with people who experience a range of mental health conditions. Through this, I saw how important it is to understand mental health properly and to respond in the right way when someone is struggling or in crisis.”
Liverpool City Council put more mental health support in place when their employees told them the approach was disjointed. They now have Wellbeing Champions, Let’s Talk 1-to-1s and mental health training available and saw a cultural shift in the way mental health was approached at work.
Real voices made real change.
These experiences show that appropriate support does not always start with a complex intervention. It might begin with noticing, listening and helping somebody feel heard.
Supporting people after a first aid incident
Mental wellbeing is not only important before an incident happens. It also matters afterwards.
A serious illness, injury or medical emergency can affect:
- The person who experienced it
- The people who witnessed it
- Colleagues, friends or family members
- The first aiders who provided help
Even when somebody’s life has been saved, those involved may experience physical or emotional after-effects.
Jude Shackell helped a colleague who was having a seizure at school. Immediately afterwards, her attention was focused on reassuring students, members of staff and her colleague’s family.
Two days later, she felt unwell, experienced headaches and struggled to sleep. Her experience demonstrates that first aiders may not immediately recognise the effect that an incident has had on them.
As Jude explains: “I think it’s really important that we recognise that people who’ve been involved in a crisis have the opportunity to just decompress and take a break.”
Following a difficult incident, first aiders may benefit from time to pause and process what happened. They should also know where they can access support if they need it.
Looking after yourself is not separate from your responsibility as a first aider. It can help you continue to carry out your role with confidence.
What workplace first aiders can do
You do not need to be a mental health professional to respond with care.
If you are concerned about somebody:
Notice without making assumptions
You may observe that someone appears distressed or that their behaviour has changed, but avoid trying to diagnose the cause.
Ask a simple, open question
Choose a private and appropriate moment. You could begin with:
- “I’ve noticed you don’t seem like yourself. How are you?”
- “You seem to have a lot going on. Would you like to talk?”
Listen without judgement
Give the person time to speak. Avoid interrupting, immediately offering solutions or comparing their experience with somebody else’s.
Be clear about your role
You are not expected to provide therapy, make a diagnosis or give medical advice. Just listen and help the person consider an appropriate next step.
Encourage further support
Depending on the situation, this might include:
- Their GP or another healthcare professional
- An employee assistance programme
- A workplace wellbeing or occupational health service
- A trusted manager
- A trained mental health first aider
- A specialist support organisation
Act if there is immediate danger
If someone’s life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E. A mental health emergency should be treated as seriously as a physical emergency.
Look after yourself too
A difficult conversation or first aid incident may affect you. Take time to decompress, speak to someone you trust and use any support available through your workplace.
Building a more complete approach to first aid
As a workplace first aider, you are already committed to protecting people’s health.
Developing your understanding of mental health can add to the skills you already have. It can help you feel more confident starting a conversation, listening empathetically and identifying when somebody may need further support.
There are several ways to build your confidence.
Start with free learning
Short modules can introduce practical skills and help you consider your own wellbeing.
Explore free learning on:
- Stress management
- Recognising mental ill-health
- Empathetic communication
Build your mental health awareness
Mental Health Awareness training can help you develop a broader understanding of mental health, common signs of difficulty and ways to contribute to a supportive workplace environment.
Develop mental health capability in your workplace
If you would like to take your training further, speak to your employer about its mental health and wellbeing strategy.
Courses such as Mental Health Advocate and Mental Health First Aid can help workplaces develop people with the confidence to recognise when someone may be struggling, listen appropriately and signpost them towards support.
Real voices can create real change
First aid has always been about responding when somebody needs help.
Sometimes that means applying a dressing, performing CPR or calling an ambulance. Sometimes it means noticing that somebody is struggling, asking how they are and taking the time to listen.
This World Mental Health Day, ask your employer how mental health support fits into your workplace’s approach to first aid, health and safety.
Whether you begin with a free learning module, share a resource with your team or explore formal training, your next step could help someone feel heard when they need it most.
Real voices can create real change. By listening, learning and starting a conversation in your workplace, you can help put mental health alongside physical health where it belongs.
Sources:
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overview.htm
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/
