As employers across health and care face increasing pressures around staff wellbeing, retention, and adequate provision of mental health support, the Workplace Mental Health Toolkit© offers a practical, evidence-based resource that can be shared with colleagues across all roles and settings.
Developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr Rebecca Yeates and psychology colleagues at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, the toolkit has been specifically designed for health and care staff and is available free of charge to colleagues across West Yorkshire.
The toolkit is a comprehensive digital self-help resource that provides staff with access to evidence-based psychological guidance on the workplace challenges that commonly affect mental health. Its content was developed following a review of the most frequently cited reasons colleagues sought one-to-one therapeutic support through workplace psychology services, ensuring it addresses the real issues staff experience in their professional lives.
The toolkit includes:
- Six structured modules guiding colleagues through topics including emotional regulation in the workplace, low mood, anxiety, trauma following distressing workplace experiences, and workplace relationships.
- Foundation module, introducing a practical framework for understanding emotions at work, which is then applied throughout the remaining chapters to help colleagues make sense of their experiences and develop effective coping strategies.
- Over 100 pages of digital content, psychologist-led videos with original animation, audio versions of content, and downloadable worksheets that encourage reflection and learning away from the screen.
- Final module focused on help-seeking, equipping colleagues with clear information about different support options and helping them identify the most appropriate next steps.
For health and care managers, this resource offers a valuable and scalable wellbeing intervention that can be implemented before mental health difficulties escalate. The toolkit helps address inequalities in access to mental health information and advice across the sector by providing an accessible, high-quality resource that can be implemented regardless of organisation size or existing wellbeing provision.
Colleagues can access the toolkit here, by entering a personal or work email address.
If you have any questions about the toolkit or utilising it within your organisation, please contact the project coordinators at: StaffPsychologyService@cht.nhs.uk.