GP Dr Bori Jassim from Wakefield talks about her experience delivering mental health promotion training with her colleagues as part of RSPH and Health Education England's (HEE) Making Every Contact Count (MECC) for Mental Health (MH) programme.
What made you decide to get involved?
I received an email from our practice manager about the MECC for Mental Health Project. Upon looking into it in more detail, I thought that the concept was very interesting, relevant and I could see how we could implement it within our organisation to support population health and the increased need for mental health and wellbeing support for our patients.
This was pertinent in our primary care response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which has significantly increased demand for mental health services. In addition to this, I do have a special interest in mental health and improving community health and wellbeing.
In your view what is the strategic case for MECC for Mental Health?
Developing confidence and skills to have mental health conversations is essential for primary care staff but it can also be quite challenging so initiatives like MECC for Mental Health provide the perfect support and practical tools.
How did you train to become a MECC for Mental Health trainer?
I attended several seminars and workshops with our local Lead Trainer including MECC for Mental Health train the trainer sessions which covered the content and delivery of the three core modules: Introduction to MECC for Mental Health; Knowledge and Skills and Signposting and pathways. I also had the opportunity to meet other local Trainers during the face-to-face workshops which I really enjoyed and made some great connections and shared invaluable experience. We continue to keep in contact and receive regular updates about relevant training and events in our community.
In addition to this, I also completed the e-learning modules for MECC for Mental Health via the e-LfH (Learning for Health) website as well as attending RSPH webinars.
I felt very supported throughout my training, and I am grateful for being able to take part in this project. I did, however, find some of the content slightly repetitive although this was helpful for our effective learning and being able to deliver the training to others soon after completing all the necessary sessions as a Trainer.
How was the experience of organising and delivering MECC for Mental Health training?
The project has been very inspiring and has allowed me to develop professional connections both locally and nationally. I have also become a member of the Royal Society for Public Health which has granted me access to their extensive resources and training. I enjoyed preparing and delivering my training session which was well received by the delegates. Following my presentation, I added a reflective entry to my GP e-portfolio which forms part of my personal development plan and quality improvement activities.
Who received your training and how did they receive it?
I have directly delivered one face-to-face training programme to 12 other staff members within our organisation which included a variety of clinical and non-clinical staff such as GPs, GP trainees, practice nurses, secretaries, administrators, receptionists, and call handlers. The knowledge and resources from the training have also been distributed amongst practice staff in general. My delegates particularly liked the MECC link and found it to be an effective tool and resource to use and share with patients and colleagues.
I also designed a supplementary mental health package with up-to-date information on our local services, pathways and signposting resources for both adults and children. This has been used by the practice as a whole so all our staff have easy access to it and are able to utilise it in their daily practice.
Overall, all the delegates enjoyed the training and found it very useful on a personal and professional level.
Has MECC for Mental Health changed in any way your day-to-day practice?
I am using the skills and knowledge I have developed during my MECC for Mental Training regularly and not just professionally but also in my personal life.
I have saved the MECC link on my workstation desktop which I can easily access during my consultations and it has been an excellent resource to use for our patients. I have also shared it with friends and family who have also found it very useful and informative.
As mentioned above, the training has allowed me to develop our own organisational resource with information on local services, national helplines, websites, apps, staff wellbeing and mental health support for adults and children that incorporate evidence-based medicine and best practice.
How many (more) training programmes are you planning to deliver? And to whom?
I am planning to continue to use my training and skills in the wider community. I am looking forward to expanding this project to our Wakefield-wide GP-led primary care service. I will also be supervising junior doctors coming to our practice for their foundation training so this will certainly be a part of their teaching programme.
I think this training programme could be applied to a variety of settings and I feel it would be particularly beneficial in the education sector including schools and universities.
