Legal News

A mental health first aid training programme pioneered in Australia ten years ago is to be rolled out across Ireland.

BBC Health News reports that the mental health first aid programme was devised by Professor Tony Jorm – a researcher at the University of Melbourne – and his wife, Betty Kitchener, who is a registered nurse.

They were inspired by overhearing the comment, “What we need is first aid for depression.”

The couple devised a first aid training course to help people tackle mental health conditions and depression in others. The course trains participants in recognising the signs and symptoms of mental health problems – including how to respond appropriately.

The course is already used in New Zealand, the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the UK, with Ireland now set to benefit.

In England, social enterprise company MHFA England is responsible for mental health first aid training courses.

The course teaches people how to approach and speak to mental health patients who may be suffering from a range of conditions, including anxiety, panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts.

The UK are already benefiting from the guidance – mental health first aid trainer Chris Morgan suffered from acute depression after a family business failed. His wife recommended that he see a GP after he developed suicidal thoughts.

After seeing a psychiatrist, he made a full recovery and went on to a new career, initially working in suicide prevention for the NHS, before becoming a mental health first aid instructor and trainer.

“I think one particularly rewarding thing is seeing people realise that everybody has mental health, in the same way that everybody has physical health – and we should look after our own mental health,” he said.

Co-developer of mental health first aid training, Betty Kitchener, is currently in Ireland, where the national programme will be rolled out from 2016. She told BBC News:

“The aim is to increase mental health literacy of members of the community – including reducing stigmatisation of the illness and people learning simple first aid skills to be able to see mental illness as like any other illness.”

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is the UK’s leading provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on their rights under mental health law, including access to services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit hospitals and police stations to advise on mental health law – and in some cases may be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient, including initiating treatment reviews, where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.