Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions

Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions

Various networks exist within NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to provide support and information to you whenever you might need it.

The Mental Health Wellbeing Champions are trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental distress in its many forms and to be able to have supportive conversations. They are not able to diagnose or provide counselling, but they provide an important link between colleagues and the support they need.

List of Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions*

Everyone has mental health. Just as everyone has physical health. Chances are that you or someone you know or love is experiencing mental ill-health right now.

One in four of us will experience mental ill-health in any 12-month period, ranging from mild anxiety, to severe depression, bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia.

Within NHSBT, mental ill-health is now one of the main causes of sickness absence amongst colleagues, the most common reason for calling the Employee Assistance Programme, and the biggest reason for referral to occupational health. And yet mental ill-health is rarely talked about openly. You are more likely to tell your manager that you are off work due to a cold or a headache than because you are suffering with anxiety or stress.

There are now a growing number of Mental Health Wellbeing Champions within NHSBT who are trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental ill-health, to know how to approach someone who appears to be struggling, and to be able to signpost them to the right help and support.

We all also have a responsibility to look after our own wellbeing and health. If you are struggling with anything, please approach a Mental Health Wellbeing Champion and they will be happy to help you.

To register your interest in becoming a Mental Health Wellbeing Champion please complete this short survey. You will be contacted when a course is arranged for a short chat pre course date.

*Information is only accessible if you are logged in to the NHSBT network (network connection through Citrix/NHSBT Desktop). As a result it may take a moment to load