Mental health guidance for professionals
Mental wellbeing guidance and training for health and social care staff.
Why is mental health important?
- Good mental health and resilience are fundamental to our physical health, our relationships, our education, our work and to achieving our potential.
- Mental health is everyone's business – individuals, families, health care, employers, educators and communities all need to play their part. We all need to take responsibility for caring for our own mental health and that of others, and to challenge stigma and discrimination.
- For more information and statistics about mental health and wellbeing in Surrey, see the Emotional and Mental Wellbeing in Surrey Adults Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the Loneliness and Social Isolation Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.
Mental Health training for professionals
Surrey County Council offers a range of training around mental health and suicide prevention. These are suitable for professionals, staff and volunteers supporting people with mental health problems.
Wellbeing and psychological support for staff in Surrey
If you are feeling low, overwhelmed or stressed, Here for you Surrey provides psychological support for people working in any clinical or non-clinical role in:
- Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB)
- Surrey Heartlands Primary Care workforce
- Surrey County Council
Here you will listen to your experiences, help you make sense of what you are feeling, and explore coping strategies as well as further support options.
One to one support and group workshops to help overcome and manage a range of issues that can affect mental wellbeing. These include stress and burnout, the menopause, conflict at work, financial hardship and living with long COVID.
Bereavement support
- Cruse Bereavement Care a charity helping people to deal with grief, has three hubs in Surrey providing telephone sessions, face-to-face support and discussion groups
- Surrey Support after Suicide Service provides a range of support to those bereaved by suicide. Telephone 07483 301 214 or email: surreysupportaftersuicide@rethink.org
- The Lucy Rayner Foundation offers practical support and advice to families in Surrey bereaved by suicide
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide has resources and support for people who have been bereaved by suicide.
Information for a client or patient
If you think that a client or patient may be experiencing a mental health problem, it is important to signpost/refer them to appropriate help and support/services.
- If the problem is urgent, severe or a crisis, then there are a range of services for a crisis.
- If the problem is milder then the local services section lists a range including talking therapies (IAPT), and Community Connections who offer a range of 1-1 and group based support and activities - that people can self refer to.
- Also you can encourage the client/patient to look at the range of self help resources available, including downloadable printed and audio formats.
It is important to recognise the interaction between peoples' mental and physical health: physical ill health and chronic pain can increase the risk of and lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. So if your client of patient has a physical health problem (long term or acute), or is in pain, it is good to ask them about and offer support for their emotional and mental wellbeing. Surrey Talking Therapies offer support with anxiety or depression and long term health conditions. There are also self help resources on various physical health problems on this website.
Having a mental health problem also increases the risk of physical ill health (such as coronary heart disease and stroke), often due to risky/poorer lifestyle behaviours and some-times side effects of medication. If this is the case for your client/patient, you could ask if they are interested in receiving support to improve their health from some of our smoking cessation, physical activity, weight management and substance misuse services – see other sections of this website.
Support for veterans' mental health and wellbeing
The Veterans' Mental Health and Wellbeing Service – Op Courage is a free NHS mental health service for all ex-serving members of the UK Armed Forces and service personnel who are making the transition to civilian life including reservists.
Gambling harms - free online course and webinar
Teaches you about gambling disorders and how to support someone affected by gambling harms (approximately 2 hours).
- Royal Society of Public Health - Understanding and responding to gambling harms (Developed in collaboration with GambleAware)
- Identifying and supporting people affected by gambling harms in adult social care (30 mins, delivered by Gamcare)
Mental wellbeing and work
Help for employers
Organisations perform better when their staff are healthy, motivated and focused. Employers therefore have a lot to gain from supporting the emotional and mental wellbeing of employees. Not only will they have a more productive workforce, but they will also save money through reduced staff absence and turnover.
Mental ill-health is the leading cause of sickness absence in the UK, costing an average of £1,300 per employee per year. 1 in 6 workers is dealing with a common mental health problem such as anxiety, depression or stress. This can stop people performing at their best. And yet there is still stigma surrounding these issues – as the national Time to Change campaign report that 95% of employees calling in sick with stress gave a different reason.
Staff mental wellbeing and health can be affected by a range of factors both in and outside of work. Starting a conversation about it doesn't have to be difficult –there are a few resources that can help you to support the mental wellbeing of your staff, increase engagement, motivation and productivity and also reduce stigma.
- How to support staff with a mental health problem
A practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace
The Workplace Wellbeing Charter is a statement of intent, showing your commitment to the health of the people who work for you. There is a self-assessment exercise and toolkit materials / topic guides which support and guide employers to improve the health of employees.
Help for employees
There is more to having the right job than just a salary. Work is very important for our general health and well-being. The 'Emotional Health and Work factsheet' takes a look at some of the major benefits of having a job, such as:
- Earning a salary
- Identity and status
- Sense of belonging and contact with others
- Sense of achievement
- Sense of hope
- Distraction from worries
- Gives choices and opportunities
The Mental Health Foundation has 10 evidence based ways to look after and improve your mental health and wellbeing at work.
Waythrough provides a range of supported housing, community based and employment services for people with mental health problems across Surrey.