What is a Mental Health First Aider?

A Mental Health First Aider is qualified to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. This might be a work colleague who is in difficulty, or it might be someone outside the workplace. The Mental Health First Aider has been trained to listen, reassure, and respond, even in a crisis. Mental Health First Aiders are important to the maintenance of employee wellbeing. A Mental Health First Aider has been trained in proven techniques, using course materials that were developed with clinical practitioners.

Who are the Mental Health First Aiders in our region?

The South West Finance Academy supported multiple colleagues in the region become trained and qualified Mental Health First Aiders via MHFA England. You can find a list of qualified Mental Health First Aiders in finance teams below.

Devon ICB and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly ICB

• Alba Castro – Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB
• Josephine Hearnden – Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Katie Russon – Devon Partnership NHS Trust
• Sarah Foulkes – Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
• Suzanne Hicks – Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Dorset ICB, Somerset ICB, and Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB

• Gemma Ashfield – NHS Somerset ICB
• Johanna Bogle – Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Karen Howlett – Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
• Kalina Reron – Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
• Mark Bastick – Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
• Michelle Chambers – Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• Michele King – Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
• Nigel Willoughby – Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• Sahar Kanwal – Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• 1 x other Mental Health First Aider – Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Gloucestershire ICB and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB

• Jennifer Empson – Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Jamie Phillips – NHS Gloucestershire ICB
• Juliet Nyiramutera – University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• Julie Kemery – University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• Katrina Napthine – Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Ken Major – University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• Peter Kebbell – Senior Management Accountant
• Phill Benton – University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

NHS England – South West

• Jennifer Dudfield
• Jess Crocker
• Omotayo Emmanual
• Peter Smith
• Sarah Frost

If you would like to get in touch with any of the colleagues above, please email charley.spicer@hfma.org.uk.