Mental Health Awareness

Course Overview

Mental Health Awareness Training is not about turning staff into therapists. It is about giving everyone in your organisation the understanding to recognise when something is wrong, the confidence to respond appropriately, and the knowledge of when and how to signpost someone to the right support. Those three things, in any business and any sector, make a real difference to the people who need help and to the culture of the organisation as a whole.

One in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem in any given year. In most workplaces, that means it is already present in your team. The question is not whether your staff will encounter mental health challenges at work. It is whether they are prepared to respond to them.

The attitudes that sometimes surface in training rooms are telling. Learners who arrive unconvinced that mental health awareness is relevant to their role. Managers who have been misreading an employee’s withdrawal, short temper, or drop in performance as a conduct issue rather than a sign that something is wrong. Organisations that have carried out a first aid needs assessment without ever considering mental health as part of it. By the end of a well-delivered session, those attitudes shift. Not because anyone has been lectured, but because working through real scenarios makes the relevance obvious.

Since the HSE updated its first aid needs assessment guidance, employers are required to consider mental health when assessing their first aid provision. This means evaluating whether your workforce’s mental health needs are being met, and whether appointing a trained Mental Health First Aider forms part of your first aid arrangements. For many organisations, this is a requirement they are not yet aware of, and one this course directly addresses.

The course reflects the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Equality Act 2010, and current guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, Mind, and Mental Health at Work.

Course Details

  • Duration: Half day (3 to 4 hours), or full day workshop option available
  • Delivery: In-person at your venue, or live online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams
  • Certificate: CPD-accredited certificate of achievement in Mental Health Awareness
  • Refresher: Every 2 to 3 years, or sooner following significant changes in the workforce, following incidents, or where updated guidance warrants review
  • Group size: Up to 12 learners

Who This Course Is For

This course is right for any organisation, in any sector, where staff may encounter colleagues or customers experiencing mental health challenges, including:

  • All employees across any sector requiring mental health awareness as part of induction or ongoing development
  • Team leaders, supervisors, and line managers who need to recognise and respond to mental health concerns in their teams
  • HR professionals and people managers with responsibility for staff wellbeing
  • Business owners and employers reviewing their first aid needs assessment and considering mental health provision
  • Health and social care, education, retail, hospitality, construction, and professional services teams
  • Organisations wanting to strengthen their mental health culture across the whole workforce

Why Mental Health Awareness Training Matters

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a legal duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. The HSE is clear that this duty encompasses mental as well as physical health. Work-related stress, anxiety, and depression are among the leading causes of workplace absence in the UK, and employers who fail to address mental health risk in their workplace are failing a statutory obligation, not just a pastoral one.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks to employees’ health and safety, including psychosocial risks. A risk assessment that considers physical hazards but ignores mental health is not a sufficient assessment.

The HSE’s updated first aid needs assessment guidance now explicitly requires employers to consider mental health when evaluating their first aid provision. This means looking at the mental health risks present in your workplace, the likely needs of your workforce, and whether you need to appoint a trained Mental Health First Aider as part of your first aid arrangements. Many organisations have completed first aid needs assessments without ever addressing this, and are therefore non-compliant. This course helps employers and managers understand that obligation and what it means in practice.

The Equality Act 2010 adds a further layer of legal obligation. Many mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, can qualify as disabilities under the Act where they have a substantial and long-term effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Where that threshold is met, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. A manager who does not recognise a mental health condition, or who misreads its symptoms as attitude or performance problems, is not in a position to meet that duty. The consequences, including employment tribunal claims and reputational damage, are significant.

Mind and Mental Health at Work both provide robust guidance for employers on creating mentally healthy workplaces, supporting staff with mental health conditions, and building cultures where people feel safe to ask for help. This course draws on both.

The business case is also straightforward. Mental ill health costs UK employers billions annually through absence, presenteeism, and staff turnover. Organisations that invest in awareness training, which give managers the tools to notice and respond early, consistently see better outcomes for their people and their business.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the session, learners will be able to:

  • Explain what mental health is, understand the spectrum from good mental health to severe mental illness, and challenge the stigma and assumptions that prevent people from seeking help
  • Recognise common mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, stress, and others, and understand how they may present in a workplace context
  • Identify early signs of poor mental health in colleagues or others, including changes in behaviour, communication, and performance that are often misread
  • Respond appropriately and proportionately within the limits of their role, without overstepping professional boundaries or attempting clinical intervention
  • Communicate supportively with someone who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, including how to start a conversation and what not to say
  • Understand the employer’s legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and the Equality Act 2010 in relation to mental health
  • Understand the requirement to include mental health in a first aid needs assessment and what that means for their organisation
  • Know how and where to signpost colleagues or individuals to appropriate support, both internal and external
  • Understand the difference between mental health awareness and Mental Health First Aid, and what each role involves
  • Contribute to a workplace culture where mental health is taken seriously and people feel able to ask for help

Course Content

Content is adapted to your sector, your workforce, and the specific mental health challenges most relevant to your organisation. Topics covered include:

  • What mental health is
  • Common mental health conditions
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Stigma and attitude
  • Responding supportively
  • Employer legal obligations
  • First aid needs assessments and mental health
  • Signposting and support pathways
  • Workplace mental health culture

Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health Awareness Training is an excellent foundation. For organisations that want to go further, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an accredited qualification that trains individuals to provide initial support to someone experiencing a mental health problem, in the same way physical first aid provides initial support to someone who is physically injured.

Given the HSE’s updated first aid needs assessment guidance requiring employers to consider mental health in their first aid provision, many organisations are now looking at appointing trained Mental Health First Aiders as part of their first aid arrangements.

Prima Cura Training can arrange a NUCO-accredited Mental Health First Aid training through one of our specialist trainers. This is delivered separately from this awareness course and leads to a nationally recognised MHFA qualification. If your organisation is considering MHFA training, get in touch, and we will talk through what is involved and whether it is the right next step for your team.

How the Course Is Delivered

Sessions are discussion-based, practical, and built around the real mental health situations your staff encounter at work. The aim is a genuine shift in awareness and attitude, not a passive run-through of statistics.

Delivery includes:

  • Direct challenge of the attitudes and assumptions that most commonly prevent effective mental health support in workplaces
  • Scenario-based discussion covering the situations managers and colleagues actually face, including how to respond to disclosure, how to approach a conversation with someone who seems to be struggling, and how to recognise when something needs to be escalated
  • Practical discussion of the first aid needs assessment obligation and what it means for your organisation
  • Signposting and support pathway review relevant to your sector and location
  • Time for questions, because mental health awareness consistently generates them once the conversation gets going

Certification and Validity

On completion, learners receive a CPD-accredited certificate of achievement in Mental Health Awareness.

A refresher is recommended every 2 to 3 years, or sooner following significant changes to the workforce or working environment, following incidents where mental health was a factor, or where updated HSE or government guidance warrants review.

In-House and Bespoke Training

We adapt every session to your organisation, your sector, and the specific mental health challenges most relevant to your workforce.

We can build content around:

  • Your sector and the specific stressors and mental health risks most common in your working environment
  • Your existing employee assistance programme, occupational health provision, or wellbeing policy
  • Your first aid needs assessment and what it currently says about mental health provision
  • Management-level sessions focused on recognising mental health in teams, having difficult conversations, and meeting legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010
  • Combined delivery with Health and Safety Awareness or Risk Assessment Training for a broader wellbeing and compliance programme

Course Location and Service Areas

We deliver in-house training at your workplace or chosen venue across Manchester, Greater Manchester, and the wider North West. We also deliver nationally across England, including North England, South England, London, and Surrey.

For teams in multiple locations or with remote workers, this course is available live online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

All sessions are led by experienced Prima Cura Training instructors. Every trainer holds an Enhanced DBS certificate.

FAQs

Is mental health awareness training a legal requirement?

In practice, this depends. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must assess and manage risks to employee health, including mental health. The HSE’s updated first aid needs assessment guidance requires employers to consider mental health as part of their first aid provision. An organisation that has not addressed mental health in its risk assessment or first aid provision is non-compliant.

Is this the same as Mental Health First Aid?

No. Mental Health Awareness Training gives staff the understanding to recognise signs of poor mental health and respond appropriately within their role. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an accredited qualification that trains individuals to provide structured initial support to someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Both are valuable. Many organisations choose to train their whole workforce in awareness and appoint a smaller number of qualified Mental Health First Aiders. We can arrange accredited MHFA training through one of our specialist trainers. Get in touch to discuss.

What are an employer’s legal obligations around mental health under the Equality Act?

Many mental health conditions qualify as disabilities under the Equality Act 2010 where they have a substantial and long-term effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Where this threshold is met, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. A manager who does not recognise a mental health condition, or who treats its symptoms as a conduct issue, is not in a position to meet that duty. This course covers employer obligations under the Equality Act in practical terms.

Is this course suitable for all sectors?

Yes. Mental health is relevant to every workplace, regardless of sector. The course is adapted to reflect the specific stressors, risks, and working culture most relevant to your organisation, whether that is a care setting, a construction site, a school, a retail environment, or a professional services firm.

Related Courses

Book or Enquire

To book Mental Health Awareness Training or request a quote for your team, use the enquiry form on this page or contact us directly. If you are also interested in accredited Mental Health First Aid training, let us know, and we will connect you with our specialist trainer.

Our Commitment to Quality and Compliance

At Prima Cura Training, all courses reflect current UK guidance and best practice.

All trainers are experienced professionals with relevant qualifications and ongoing CPD. Because many of the organisations we support work with vulnerable individuals, all trainers hold Enhanced DBS checks.

This course is reviewed against updates from the Health and Safety Executive, Mind, Mental Health at Work, and current UK legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Equality Act 2010.

You can read more on our Quality Assurance and Compliance page.

Reviewed by Stephanie Austin, Owner and Lead Trainer, Prima Cura Training | 25+ years in health and social care | 15+ years as a trainer |  Last reviewed: April 2026 | Next review: April 2027

This page is for general guidance only and reflects current UK legislation, HSE guidance, and best practice at the date of review. It does not constitute legal, clinical, or medical advice. Mental Health Awareness Training is a CPD-accredited awareness course and does not qualify learners to diagnose or treat mental health conditions or to provide clinical mental health intervention. This course does not constitute Mental Health First Aid training or qualification. Employers remain responsible for ensuring their mental health risk assessments, first aid needs assessments, reasonable adjustment processes, and staff training comply with all applicable legislation including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and the Equality Act 2010. Where individuals require clinical mental health support, they should be referred to an appropriate healthcare professional.

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