Healthcare Homes: Emma’s and Josie’s stories
Igniting open conversations around workplace wellbeing
As one of the UK’s largest independent providers of residential, nursing and domiciliary care, Healthcare Homes Group employs over 3,500 people across the South and East of England. The group employs a wide range of roles – from nurses and carers to domestic and kitchen staff, as well as office- based support teams. The group has always understood the demanding nature of care work, but it was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that highlighted the need for organisational mental health support.
A new vision in care
Emma, Head of HR, trained as an MHFAider® in 2019, and in the years following the pandemic, it became clear that an increasing number of Healthcare Homes employees needed some extra support in new and lasting ways.
"During the height of COVID, people were running on adrenaline. But once things started to settle, that’s when the impact hit,” Emma explains. “We started to see a rise in conflict, grievances, and absence related to mental health. It was clear that we needed to do more."
Managers were becoming increasingly overwhelmed by colleagues in crisis, often without the tools to properly listen to and support them. And so, Emma began laying the groundwork for a more proactive approach: starting with recruiting employees to build a community of trained Mental Health First Aiders across the organisation.
The emphasis was clear from the start: this wasn’t about meeting quotas or ticking boxes. She has high expectations of her MHFAiders and wants them to champion positive wellbeing, but understands that for busy nurses and carers, it’s difficult to take on more.
"It’s not about volume. It’s about the right people,” Emma says. “If a team doesn’t have someone suitable yet, I’d rather they wait than rush the process. The wrong fit might do more harm than good."
Working with MHFA England®, Healthcare Homes has trained 70 MHFAiders so far. One of those is Josie, an Activities Coordinator at Saxlingham Hall care home in Norfolk.
She was motivated to complete MHFA training by her empathy and passion for helping people. She shares that every day in care work can be a challenge, and colleagues can often experience low morale.
"I can often feel when someone’s not doing well and I wanted to be equipped with the right tools to help,"
Josie says. The Mental Health First Aid course gave her those tools – and she remarks that learning how to approach someone and start a conversation stuck with her.
A growing purpose and impact
As the MHFAider network grows in Healthcare Homes, WhatsApp broadcast groups, notice boards, and reflective meetings have been set up for peer support, sharing experiences, and ongoing development. MHFAiders have begun independently driving the initiative, which Emma is really proud of;
"These are people with demanding day jobs. But they’ve just run with it and engaged so much with the topic and role."
Josie, the sole Mental Health First Aider at her care home, has created structured, regular spaces for wellbeing conversations.
"The first Wednesday of every month, I host a drop-in session where anyone can offload. It’s confidential and open to all – colleagues and residents,” she says. She’s also introduced creative ways to support others, such as writing exercises during one-on-one chats and an appreciation corner. “Even just doing a brain dump on paper can help someone release what they’re carrying."
To support Josie and other MHFAiders to feel confident in the role, Emma sends newsletter-style emails and shares practical resources from the Association of Mental Health First Aiders® and the MHFAider Support App®. In addition, a representative from their EAP provider has upskilled employees to help build trust in their main signpost.
Emma sees encouraging signs across the organisation.
"We’re still at the beginning of our journey, but I know it’s working because people are talking about it. They’re asking for more, suggesting colleagues to train, and managers are seeing the benefits.” MHFAiders at Healthcare Homes not only support their colleagues. They also provide support and care for residents, not only physically but with their mental health, too. The impact just one MHFAider can make is clear. Josie recalls a resident who was experiencing low mood. “We sat together for nearly an hour. Afterwards, they said, ‘You’ll come again, won’t you?’ And I have. It’s so important they don’t feel forgotten."
A strategy that spotlights wellbeing
With the sector experiencing increasing financial pressures, Emma is determined that wellbeing stays central to Healthcare Homes’ strategic decisions.
"The financial, physical, and mental wellbeing of our staff is paramount and is embedded in our plan,” she says. “We might not have huge budgets for gym memberships and other perks, but our MHFAider community is valuable."
The second phase of MHFA training includes a focus on senior managers. This is a key step to ensuring there’s mental health support at every level of the business. Emma’s long-term vision includes at least two MHFAiders in every home, making sure there is adequate support for night workers – and Emma is confident that they’ll get there.
For Josie, part of a growing MHFAider network is also personal. To manage her own wellbeing, she engages in photography, singing, and nature.
"Our brains are like engines, aren’t they?” she says. “They can’t run forever without a break, can they? We all need to pause when we can and refuel."
If like Emma, you’d like to roll out Mental Health First Aid training in your organisation, learn more about our training courses and speak to one of our workplace mental health experts.