Mental Health Awareness Week

ASIST trainers - Mark Hughes, from the charity Mind Your Head (left) and NHS Shetland Health Improvement Practitioner, Laura Russell (right). Photo credit: Mind Your Head.
ASIST trainers: Mark Hughes, from the charity Mind Your Head (left) and NHS Shetland Health Improvement Practitioner, Laura Russell (right). Photo credit: Mind Your Head.

NHS Shetland is proud to be supporting the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), which is running from Monday 12 May to Sunday 18 May.

Everyone has ‘mental health’, just as we all have ‘physical health’. And like our physical health, there are times when our mental health is better than others. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

In Shetland, many of us enjoy a strong sense of community, be it in the locality we live in, a shared experience or condition, or with others with a shared interest or hobby. This MHAW take time to think about the communities that are important to you or find new ones that you would like to get involved with.

Nicola Balfour, Health Improvement Team Leader, said: “We know that we thrive when we have strong connections with others and supportive communities around us. They can provide us with a sense of belonging, safety, and support at different stages of our lives, making us feel good about ourselves and improving our physical and mental health.

“It can sometimes be challenging to discuss our worries and concerns with others, and it’s important for us all to be informed and aware of the impact this can have on individuals so that we can try to help and support each other.

“We understand that it can be hard to access services for a number of reasons, or know where to turn. As part of MHAW, we want to address some of the stigma that is still associated and highlight the importance of connecting with people and community.”

NHS Shetland has been working closely with partner organisations to strengthen ongoing communication between partners and the public to support suicide prevention training in Shetland. We are pleased to announce that Shetland has been successful in gaining two places on an accredited ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) train the trainer course. NHS Shetland Health Improvement Practitioner, Laura Russell and Mark Hughes, from the charity Mind Your Head, completed their training at the end of April to become registered ASIST Trainers. NHS Shetland’s Health Improvement Team and Mind Your Head will be working together to ensure the training is available throughout communities in Shetland.

ASIST is a suicide first aid training course, delivered in a two-day practical workshop. It develops skills through supervised observation of simulated scenarios and aims to enable helpers to become more willing, ready, and able to recognise and intervene to help someone at risk of suicide. There will be more details about how to book onto the ASIST training course soon. Anyone who is currently on a waiting list will be contacted

Nicola Balfour reflected on how each of us can listen and support those around us. She said: “We encourage people to take their time and have good conversations. The Samaritans TALK tips provide a helpful prompt. T - Take your time, A - Ask for support, remember, you are never alone, L - Let others help, you are not a burden, K - Keep it real and be honest about how you are feeling.”

For further information:

https://www.samaritans.org/scotland/ to find your nearest branch

Monday, 12th May 2025