Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00 Serving Cambridgeshire & the South East
SafeServe SolutionsWhere care meets compliance
MHFA

Mental Health First Aid

Equip your team to recognise mental ill-health and have the conversation that helps.

⏱ 1-day Champion or 2-day Adult MHFA — choose to suit your team 🏢 Classroom or onsite 👥 Up to 8 (12 on request) 📜 MHFA-aligned syllabus 💷 Price on application — please enquire

Course at a glance

Duration
1-day Champion or 2-day Adult MHFA — choose to suit your team
Format
Classroom or onsite
Group size
Up to 8 (12 on request)
Certificate
Mental Health First Aid certificate, 3-year recommended refresh
Recognition
MHFA-aligned syllabus
Price
Price on application — please enquire
Course overview

What this course is, and who it's for.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) does for mental health what physical first aid does for the body — it gives your team the confidence to spot when a colleague is struggling, the language to start a non-judgemental conversation, and a clear signposting route to the professional support that actually helps. It doesn't turn anyone into a counsellor or therapist; it makes them a calm, informed first point of contact who knows exactly what to do.

We offer two formats. The 1-day Champion course is the ideal introduction for managers and team leads — awareness of common mental-health issues, recognising early warning signs, and confident use of the ALGEE action plan. The 2-day Adult MHFA course is the deeper certification for nominated mental-health first aiders, with more time on suicide intervention, self-harm, eating disorders and supporting recovery. Both are delivered across Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the wider South East — at your premises or our venue, in groups capped at 8 so the discussions stay genuine.

Full syllabus

What's covered, in detail.

Every module below is taught with practical demonstration and learner practice — not slide after slide. Skills are revisited multiple times across the course so they actually stick.

  1. What mental health is — and isn't

    The mental-health continuum, common myths, the difference between mental health and mental illness.

  2. Mental ill-health in the UK workforce

    Prevalence, the cost to organisations, the legal duty of care, and why early support changes outcomes.

  3. The ALGEE action plan

    Approach & Assess, Listen, Give support, Encourage professional help, Encourage other supports — used in every scenario.

  4. Depression

    Recognition, common presentations at work, evidence-based treatments, supporting a colleague.

  5. Anxiety disorders

    Generalised anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, OCD, PTSD — recognition and immediate response.

  6. Suicide & suicidal ideation (Adult course)

    Asking the question safely, the myth of 'planting the idea', crisis resources, post-incident care.

  7. Self-harm (Adult course)

    Recognition, non-judgemental conversation, escalation, organisational policy.

  8. Psychosis & severe mental illness (Adult course)

    Brief overview of presentation and how to keep someone safe in the moment.

  9. Eating disorders

    Recognition, the dangers of avoidance, signposting to specialist services.

  10. Substance misuse

    How alcohol and drugs interact with mental health, having the conversation.

  11. Building a mentally healthy team

    Reasonable adjustments, return-to-work conversations, confidentiality, your own wellbeing as a first aider.

  12. Closing reflection & action planning

    Personal action plan, organisational signposting, where to get further training.

Who it's for

Designed for these teams and settings.

MHFA is the right choice if any of the following describe your environment:

Line managers and team leads in any sector
HR, People and Wellbeing teams
Education staff (schools, colleges, universities)
Healthcare and social-care teams
Hospitality, retail and customer-facing managers
Construction and manufacturing supervisors
Trade-union reps and employee representatives
Faith leaders, sports coaches and community workers

Not sure if it's the right fit? Try our course finder or drop us a line with a few details and we'll point you to the right course.

Why SafeServe

What makes our MHFA delivery different.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions about MHFA.

What's the difference between the 1-day and 2-day course?
The 1-day Champion course is for awareness and confidence — recognising signs, opening a conversation, knowing where to signpost. It's ideal for line managers and the wider team. The 2-day Adult MHFA is the deeper certification for staff who'll act as nominated mental-health first aiders, with significantly more time on suicide intervention, self-harm and supporting recovery.
Will this turn my team into therapists?
Absolutely not — and that's deliberate. MHFA is explicitly first-aid level: recognise, respond, signpost. The professional help comes from GPs, occupational health, EAPs and specialist services. We're crystal clear about that boundary throughout the course.
How many MHFA first aiders do we need?
There's no legal ratio (yet — it's been proposed). A common starting point is one MHFA first aider per 25 employees, scaling up for larger sites and remote / lone-working teams. We can help you think through the right number during your enquiry.
How long does the certificate last?
MHFA recommend refreshing every 3 years to stay current with terminology, treatment options and signposting routes. We offer a half-day refresher specifically for that purpose.
Can the course be delivered onsite?
Yes — onsite is the most common request, especially for the 2-day version. We need a quiet, private room (the conversations can be sensitive) and a screen/monitor. We bring everything else.
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Ready to book Mental Health First Aid?

Tell us about your team and venue — we'll come back with available dates and a quote within one working day.

Request a quote   📞 01733 855359