Home care boss offers mental health first aid course to keep staff 'emotionally strong'

Home care firm Nobilis has launched a First Aid for Mental Health course to help its workers recognise different mental health conditions and keep them "emotionally strong" during the pandemic.

First Aid for Mental Health is one of the courses being introduced by Nobilis as part of its new apprenticeship training programme for its 400+ employees, in partnership with national training provider Paragon Skills.

Home care staff on the course will learn:

• How to recognise and manage stress and understand the impact of substance abuse

• How to start a supportive conversation and when and how to aid a person to seek help

• How to implement a positive mental health culture in the workplace

• A first-aid action plan for mental health

Nobilis believes the course is ‘an industry-first’ and especially relevant as Covid-19 can have a severe impact on client and employee mental wellbeing as well as physical.

Nobilis’ managing director Peter Harrington said: “Ensuring the emotional wellbeing of our care teams is paramount.

"If they are emotionally strong in themselves, they are better equipped to help and support their clients. It’s also important for them to learn to recognise the warning signs that someone is suffering from poor mental health.

“It’s currently an incredibly challenging time for the care industry, but we believe that our best-in-class training will ensure all Nobilis carers are ready to meet whatever situation they find themselves in.”

The qualification is aimed at giving employees knowledge to recognise different mental health conditions, learn about the support/therapy provided by professional healthcare providers and help them with their own mental health management.

The First Aid for Mental Health course syllabus covers subjects such as anxiety, stress, depression, bipolar disorder, self-harm and drugs and alcohol.

Mental health ‘too often ignored by employers in the care industry’

The new qualification is Ofqual or SQA Accreditation regulated and includes self-study and webinars from a trainer.

The Nobilis Adult Care Worker curriculum will include Levels 2 3, 4 and 5 Standards in Adult Care, accredited by City & Guilds and recognised by the Care Quality Commission and health and social care sector.

Mark Botha, the chief executive of Paragon Skills has called the qualification “a significant credit to Nobilis that it is implementing First Aid for Mental Health, still something too often ignored by employers in the care industry.”

Recent Nobilis acquisitions

Nobilis, which is based in Southampton, recently bought home care business Universal Care and is looking to expand Universal Care’s office staff and over 100 home care workers by growing its operations across Beaconsfield, Amersham, Aylesbury, Marlow, Maidenhead and Windsor.

It is the latest in many acquisitions by Nobilis which has bought eight home care businesses in 2020, including Mineral Care, Kensington Care, Elite Care and Avida in Gloucestershire, BrightSpark in Surrey, SR Homecare in Bristol and Carefirst and D. Care on the Isle of Wight.

Nobilis also got a £30m contract earlier this year to provide care services in the Isle of Wight.

Referring to its latest acquisition, Nobilis chief executive Peter Harrington said: “Nobilis is very proud to bring Universal Care into the business, securing the long-term future of the team.

“We are fully committed to continuing the legacy built over 30 years by Peter Cullimore and his team ensuring that the continuity and quality of care is uninterrupted, while being able to plan for future expansion and investment.”

Peter Cullimore, chairman of Universal Care, said: “I am really pleased to be handing over the reins of Universal Care to Nobilis. Nobilis place the clients and the carer at the centre of everything they do and their technology and training programmes will allow the team to do what they do best – caring for our clients.”

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