Press Release

BIB Insurance have issued a press release with regard to the MHFA England course they are sponsoring in Darlington in October;

"BUSINESS leaders in the North East are to take an innovative first aid course focusing on the importance of mental health among the workforce.

The intensive 12-hour session on October 16 and 23 for members of Darlington Business Club will be held next month and is being sponsored by leading regional insurance firm BiB.

The course is part of a country-wide training programme overseen by the National Institute for Mental Health and Care Services Improvement Partnership.

Mental health issues affecting employees have increasingly come to the fore for businesses in recent times, with one in four adults in Britain reported to have at least one diagnosable problem every year.

The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) seminar gives non-health professionals the know-how they need to spot potential problems, shows them how to give the necessary support and points them towards experts in the field.

MHFA was originally developed in Australia and then rolled out to Scotland as an effective way of offering help to people before professional advice is needed.

It has gone on to become a globally popular scheme, operating as far afield as Hong Kong, Singapore, Finland and Canada.

The course at BiB, in Northgate, Darlington, will be led by the Business Club’s chairman, Bill Cunningham.

Brian Jackson, BiB’s corporate business director, said: "This course is a fantastic way to educate business professionals about mental health issues, teaching them how to offer the right kind of support to people suffering problems.

"I’m sure many participants will have been through physical first aid courses in the past but this programme is all about breaking down the barriers and removing the stigmas surrounding mental health.

"Hopefully, people will take away a new understanding and empathy when it comes to mental health matters and we are delighted to be sponsoring the seminar."