Striving for workplace mental health first aid

Jodie Hill

Middleton resident and employment solicitor, Jodie Hill, is leading a campaign to put mental health on a par with physical health in the workplace.

Since 1981 every workplace has had to have a designated first aider in case of accidents or illness at work. Jodie thinks it’s time there was also a mental health first aider.

“Training a member of staff in mental health first aid can help ensure that there is someone in the office who can recognise the signs of mental ill health as soon as an employee develops them” explains Jodie.

“Having someone in the office trained in mental health first aid also helps to remove the stigma surrounding the subject and create an open environment for those who are suffering to open up.”

An online petition is running at change.org and Jodie is shortly to meet Dewsbury MP, Paula Sherriff, the Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care, to get the issue debated in parliament.

And to mark World Mental Health Day on Wednesday 10 October Jodie has organised a Thriving Minds Conference for businesses to come together and discuss their mental health strategies including first aid, wellbeing and resilience.

Originally a Barrister, Jodie retrained as a Solicitor and five years later started her own law firm Thrive Law. The company specialise in employment law, dealing with all aspects from contracts to wrongful dismissal.

“My whole ethos is around raising awareness, I really want people to talk about mental health especially in the workplace. The more we talk about it the less stigma there is and hopefully that means businesses can thrive. Mental health can be a daunting subject, I’m trying to help break that stigma and make it a bit more normal to talk about mental health.”

To find out more, or book for the conference go to: thrivelaw.co.uk