St John Ambulance Cymru has launched a new range of training courses aimed at improving mental health awareness in workplaces and communities, as it warns of the growing human and economic cost of poor mental wellbeing.

The charity, which already trains hundreds of people each year in Mental Health First Aid, is encouraging employers to treat mental health support with the same urgency as physical first aid.

It comes amid concern over the impact of mental ill health on the UK workforce, with an estimated 17 to 18 million working days lost annually due to related issues, according to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive.

Belinda James, Lead Trainer at St John Ambulance Cymru, said the scale of the problem was “surprising and upsetting”.

“You think for all of those statistics, for all of those numbers, there’s a person, there are people at the heart of that, who are at home not able to work because they are struggling,” she said.

Speaking on the organisation’s podcast Just in Case: Stories from St John, she said early recognition of changes in behaviour could make a critical difference in supporting colleagues.

She pointed to signs such as withdrawal, changes in sleep or eating patterns, or shifts in behaviour. “If it’s normal for me to be quite chirpy, to be early, to be on the ball first thing in the morning... and then I come in, and I look bedraggled, and I look stressed, and I’m snappy... that would be a good time to just say, is everything all right?”

Ms James also said open and direct conversations could help break down stigma around mental health.

The charity also warned against relying on artificial intelligence tools for emotional support, saying they lack the empathy needed to properly understand human distress.

For more information on Mental Health First Aid training or to book a course, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/courses/MHFA or contact the training team at [email protected]