Due to the rise in poor mental health over recent years, new legislation which requires a business to offer mental health first aid training to it’s workforce, has just been presented to parliament.
The aim of this newly-proposed legislation is so that more people can spot the early signs of mental health issues in the workplace and ultimately, save lives.
The idea is to make Mental Health First Aiders a legal requirement and as much as a priority as Fire Marshals and First Aiders.
Many businesses already offer mental health training to first aiders, but it is not a legal requirement. If this newly-proposed Bill is passed in parliament, it would mean businesses legally have to provide and pay for a proportion of their workforce to become trained, Mental Health First Aiders.
This will mean workers have someone in the workplace that they can go to who can signpost them to the external help and support they need, when they are struggling with their mental health.
Although this Bill, if passed, would mean employers incur additional business cost in providing this training, it could save them significant time and money in the long-run, as it is estimated that around 50% of all sickness absence leave in 2021/2022 was due to poor mental health.
MP, Dean Russell is leading this campaign. He unsuccessfully attempted to introduce similar legislation in 2021 however, fully committed to the request, he stated that this is not something that will go away and he will be back if needed. Further, he claimed it is a simple change which will make a massive difference.
It should, however, be noted that employers do have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and those that are affected by their activities so far as reasonably practicable. Therefore, even without the introduction of any specific legislation, employers need to be up to date with training and awareness of such topics, including but not limited to disability discrimination training.
If you need any help or assistance with any of these topics, or if you’d like to find out about the training that we can offer, you can get in touch on 0161 478 3800 or drop a message to hello@peachlaw.co.uk.
We will keep you updated on further developments!
