Community Dental Services (CDS): Smiles all-round
“The Carecoins platform is an effective way to manage the support provided to employees and we have been very pleased with the flexibility Red Umbrella have provided to embed this within our organisation. Red Umbrella continues to support our wellbeing offer by providing training, eLearning and regular check-ins, all of which continue to support our wellbeing offer to our teams.” – CDS
Community Dental Services (CDS) is a specialist provider of dental services working to improve oral health within communities. CDS employs almost 500 people in over 60+ clinics.
The Situation
Like most businesses, Covid-19 brought about new challenges for their employees in different ways. Some staff have not been able to work, some had to adapt to working remotely, and others have continued to provide face-to-face care for many patients.
CDS recognised the importance of caring for the mental health and wellbeing of their staff and while they already had a number of measures in place to support their employees, they recognised the need for additional help. Therefore, CDS reached out to Red Umbrella to help train their employees to become Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace.
The Training
CDS was able to access Red Umbrella’s bespoke Mental Health Management Training and the QA Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace training which is accredited by England’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).
During the course, CDS employees were trained by a team of highly skilled trainers who have extensive experience and knowledge in delivering mental health first aid qualifications. The course used a range of training formats such as PowerPoint presentations, case study analysis, real-life examples of Mental Health discussions, workbook activities, and much more to provide an engaging learning experience.
As the course is limited to 16 people to ensure that the trainers can keep people safe and supported while they learn. CDS registered 16 employees on to the course where they were equipped with the necessary skills to help support their peers’ mental health and wellbeing. Their employees also received a manual to keep and refer to whenever they need it. In addition to the course, Red Umbrella provided CDS employees with Carecoins – a mental health currency that allows them to access additional support such as 1-2-1 therapy sessions.
The Outcome
CDS employees found the training course valuable and informative, giving them the confidence and knowledge to safeguard mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Praising Red Umbrella’s training course, CDS expressed: “It is so important that we, as an organisation, support the well-being of our employees. There is lots of support available already, but this is an additional avenue of support for our teams. By being trained Mental Health First Aiders we provide another option for our employees to access, enabling us to look after the needs of our colleagues.”
Tim Ladd, Managing Director of Red Umbrella Bespoke Mental Healthcare Ltd praised CDS for acting so quickly to recognise the importance of supporting their colleagues. “Never before has employee support for mental well-being been so important; Covid19 has really impacted employee’s mental health in so many ways. CDS put effective measures in place very quickly and have engaged in Mental Health First Aider training and made sure that the First Aiders themselves are also provided for with their own aftercare and support. CDS are a clear example of good practice in considering effective measures for employee well-being and we look forward to building the continued relationship.”
Learn more about our Ofqual accredited training or drop us a line today to discuss your organisation’s mental wellbeing initiatives.
