First Aid

Free First Aid at Work Course

20 July 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Free First Aid at Work Course & more at Cоnѕеtt AFC 22^ndJuly – 30^th August

SMARTT will be running a number of evening соurѕе free fоr individuals that are aged 19 years old or over and are either unemployed and not in education or training, live in Co Durham

Individuals who complete the whole course will gain 3 ѕесtоr ѕkіllѕ ԛuаlіfісаtіоn in the following;

· Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work

· Level 2 Principles of Fire Safety

· Level 2 Food Safety

Free First Aid at Work Course

Our First Aid Courses & more will run over a 5 evening sessions – currently (subject to COVID-19 guidelines) we are planning the evenings (Monday-Friday) 6pm to 8pm 1 and 1/2 weeks.

Start 22nd July (Thursday) 6pm

Finish 30th July (Friday) 8pm

The health and safety (first aid) regulations 1981 require employers to offer adequate and appropriate system, centres and employees to allow first aid to accept to personnel if they may be injured or end up unwell at work. These rules apply to all workplaces, consisting of those with five or fewer personnel and the self-employed.

What’s ok and appropriate will rely on the circumstances on your place of work and also you have to determine what your first resource needs are. Employers are required by using law to make an assessment of widespread dangers inside the administrative centre.

The hazard evaluation entails identity of administrative centre hazards and dangers, the scale of the organisation and different relevant elements, to decide what first aid equipment, facilities and personnel must be supplied.

If you know anyone who wоuld lіkе to dо thе Free First Aid at Work Course аnd gаіn 3 ԛuаlіfісаtіоnѕ along side it оr wоuld like furthеr information please contact us here for mоrе dеtаіlѕ

For further free resources please visit our resource library

Free Paediatric First Aid Course

4 June 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Our Free Paediatric First Aid is in line with Ofsted and the requirements for The National Childminding Association (NCMA), Surestart, Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) and Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS ) paediatric first aid its designed for individuals who look after infants and children. Check here

Although SMARTT do promote any parent or individual to complete the paediatric first aid training course, the following occupations may be legally required to hold this Health and Safety Executive (HSE) training

• Childminders
• Nursery Staff
• School Staff
• Health & Social workers

The term ‘Paediatric’ relates to children and infants.

An Infant is defined as being from the age of 0-1. A child is defined as being from the age of 1 to the onset of puberty. Puberty can be very difficult to recognise in many children. Children of the same age will vary in size and appearance.

Common sense must prevail. If your casualty appears to be that of a child and has not reached puberty, then you must treat them as a child. If you are in doubt, you should adopt the adult protocol. The important thing to remember is that you must offer your casualty some form of initial treatment. Little harm will come to them if you happen to identify the age of the child incorrectly.

Free Paediatric First Aid

The responsibilities of the emergency first-aider will be dependent on specific workplace requirements.

Responsibilities could include:

ensuring first-aid equipment is fit for purpose
arriving at the scene
ensuring the scene is safe
contacting the emergency services
prioritising the treatment of casualties
clearing up after an incident
incident reporting and recording

Contacting the Emergency Sеrvісеѕ

The Eurореаn Unіоn Emеrgеnсу Numbеr 112 іѕ nоw іn ореrаtіоn аѕ wеll аѕ 999.

If possible take the infant or small child with you when making the call. Never leave an infant unattended

State which service you require
Give your telephone number
State your exact location
State type of incident
Give number of casualties
State type and extent of the injuries
State dangerous hazards

Please click here to download our free first aid guide

To book a place on one of our FREE paediatric first aid course, running in County Durham or if you have any questions please contact us for further details

Mental Health Eating Disorder

21 May 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Possible feelings an individual with an Mental Health Eating Disorder may experience

An individual who is experiencing an eating disorders may experience many different feelings both physical and psychological and these feeling can include;

Constant feelings of feeling over weight and fat even though they are not and other people are telling them they are not.
They may also be terrified of the thought of gaining weight and base their self-esteem on their body weight and size.
They can experience an obsessive eating routine about what they can and can’t eat, what time of the day they can eat and how many meals a day they can have
Because of the obsessive eating routine, they may experience sickness, anxiety and depression, especially when meal times come around
A person may not wish to tell anyone about their condition as it is their way of having control over something in their life.
In some cases where severe eating disorders occur, the person could experience a major decline in the mental health and well being

How an Mental Health Eating Disorder may affect the individual and their life.

An eating disorder may affect the individual both physical and or psychologically, let look at each in turn

Physical affects

There are many different physical affects an individual may suffer because of their eating disorder and if not addressed and treat these can become very serious. Some of the physical affects a person may have in their life can be;

The heart is at risk of damage to the functioning and the person may feel lethargic and tired all the time and, in some cases, they can detect low blood pressure and muscle weakening – this will affect the person’s body temperature and they will permanently feel cold
They may have thinning bones and brittle hair and nails, due to the lack of nutrition and calcium that the body requires, this can also include very dry and yellowish discoloured skin.
Other affects could be a breakdown in relationships or problems at work due to lack of interest and concentration.
In some severe cases the individual may have organ failure, including permanent brain damage

Psychological affects

As with physical affects, there are many different psychological affects an individual may suffer because of their eating disorder and if not addressed and treat these can lead to serious mental health and well-being issues. Some of the psychological affects a person may have in their life can be;

The person may have a lack of interest in things they used to take part in, this could because the lack of confidence in their own abilities.
They may have low self-esteem and feeling worthless, due to the embarrassment of their illness and this can prevent them going out of their home and become isolated from friends, family and society.
In some cases, the person may not be able to take away their own emotions from their eating habits

Mental Health Eating Disorder

Ways in which an individual’s Mental Health Eating Disorder may affect others.

With many other mental health conditions, an eating disorder can affect others such as whole family and friends as they often find it hard to understand why. There are a few emotion factors to consider that a person’s family or others may experience, this may include;

The individual’s family may be disappointed in the individual, be angry or confused and may feel powerless to help.
They may feel guilty that the fact they did not spot any signs or symptoms that the person showed earlier in the eating disorder illness.
This could lead to the family or others becoming to over protected and this can cause more anger and conflict with all involved.
This could affect others especially family life and have a knock-on effect on others work related duties. This can lead to misunderstandings the arguments and more conflict for the individual can lead to more isolated issues.

What are the different approaches to the treatment of eating disorders.

Name of treatment:

If someone is diagnosed with an eating disorder their GP will be involve in their ongoing treatment, others involved may include a specialist counsellor, psychiatrist, nurse, dietician specialist and in cases of children and teenagers a paediatrician.

A range of psychological treatment by the above can help a person with an eating disorder

What this entails:

There is a range of therapy treatments available and this can include including;

Cognitive analytic therapy – this treatment can help the individual break any unusual and unhealthy forms of behaviour

Cognitive behaviour therapy – this can help the person focus on a more positive type of behaviour and adapt a healthier way of living

Interpersonal therapy – this can help the person to identify the negative problems that has occurred in relationships with others and how they can problem solve the issues

Focal psychological therapy – this can help the person to challenge any bad experiences they may have encounter during childhood. This can help the person to focus on more positive thought and emotions going forward in life

Name of treatment:

Information, advice and guidance on eating and nutrition

What this entails:

This type of treatment is a gradual process as the body may not be used to large amounts of food, its aim is to get the person eating regular meals and at a stable body weight.

The focus will be to get the person to start eating small amounts and build up gradually. The whole aim to eventually have the person eating with a regularly pattern and at least 3 times per day

Medication is not usually effective in treating eating disorders but it can help with other conditions that come with it such as OCD and depression.

If an individual refuses treatment then they may be serious ill and could be at risk of death, in these extreme cases a doctor may admit the person to hospital for compulsory treatment under the mental health act.

A range of psychological treatment could be used to treat eating disorders such as CBT, interpersonal therapy where negative issues associated with interpersonal relationships can be resolved. Cognitive analytic therapy can break unhealthy patterns of behaviour.

A person would be offered advice about eating and nutrition.

What can others could do to help an individual recover from a specific eating disorder

As previously mentioned, there are 3 main types of eating disorders and with all 3, people like friends and family can help the individuals with eating disorders to recover in a number of ways, such things like;

Have open discussions with them to encourage the person to talk openly about their condition and what and how they feel is affecting them. They should understand it is OK to voice their feelings and to make them mindful they don’t extra pressure on themselves.
Person should try and fully understand what the person with the eating disorder is experiencing and going through. They should not get angry or frustrated with the individual and support them to take up new activities or activities they have enjoyed in the past – this can take the focus of food routines.
Building a network of support can be very useful to the individual, this can include various helplines out there and information and support that’s available via the internet.
Help set up a healthy eating plan to encourage the individual to eating sensible and following a healthy diet. A healthy food plan could be done together and this will encourage the person to understand the importance of a nutritious foods. This can include, fruit and vegetables, foods low in saturated fats, oily fish, and drinking plenty fluids during the day, such as fresh water.

Name of local resource:

a) Resources

Resources could be the persons GP, which can include the community mental health team.

b) Treatments

The individuals GP can offer advice and guidance and refer the individual to a specialist or psychiatrist if required. They may also prescribe any mediation required, although medication is not often offered. A GP can also help and support with resources to help set up a healthy balanced eating plan, along with referral to a gymnasium to regular exercise

Name of local resource:

Community psychiatric nurse, social workers and support workers can also be a good resource.

What it offers:

These types of resource can offer a great range of other treatments
This can range from, talking therapy where the individual can share their concerns with others who suffer from the condition and gain support and ideas.
Psychological therapies such as cognitive therapies;
Cognitive analytic therapy – this treatment can help the individual break any unusual and unhealthy forms of behaviour
Cognitive behaviour therapy – this can help the person focus on a more positive type of behaviour and adapt a healthier way of living
Interpersonal therapy – this can help the person to identify the negative problems that has occurred in relationships with others and how they can problem solve the issues
Focal psychological therapy – this can help the person to challenge any bad experiences they may have encounter during childhood. This can help the person to focus on more positive thought and emotions going forward in life
An admission to hospital maybe required in extreme cases

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or if you would like to book an in-house mental health awareness first aid course

Please see our range of free resources here

Emergency First Aid At Work +F

22 April 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Emergency First Aid At Work +F courses are designed to the standards first aid content for forestry workers and also covers the extra modules requested by the Forestry Commission.

The Forestry Commission policy recommends individuals that work within the forestry industry need to attend compliance first aid training which must cover the additional subject that are relevant to the risks associated with their particular work.

This includes;

Crush and Chest Injuries
Catastrophic and severe bleeding, including chainsaw injuries and gun shot / stab wounds
Lightning & V0ltage injuries
Exposure
Hypothermia
Lyme’s Disease (ticks)
Suspension injuries
Casualty evacuation planning

Emergency First Aid At Work +F

Forestry First Aid is an add-on to the (Emergency) First Aid at Work courses and covers additional subjects that might be encountered by Forestry workers.

The course is mainly suited if you work in the forestry industry and need to ensure that you have the relevant training to carry out first aid.

Forestry First Aid can be a 2-hour add-on to the Accredited First Aid at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work EFAaW) and will cover subject requireds that are needed by Forestry workers.

There will be an assessment and you’ll receive a certificate of training at the end of the course, along with FAW or EFAaW if required.

Please note:

You’ll need to provide proof of a current valid First Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid at Work certificate to take the +F stand-alone course.

We are a team of highly experienced trainers, from mainly ex forces back ground. Our tutors have experience, knowledge and skills in the areas of their delivery with many years of industry practice and teaching experience. We use this wealth of experience to provide forward thinking sessions that use real life experience as part of the learning. We fully understand the importance of addressing barriers to learner engagement, in particular with the priority groups and we work hard to alleviate these. We put the emphasis on differentiated learner led activity rather than provider-led.

For more details on any of our Emergency First Aid At Work +F please contact here

Please also check out our free resources library you may find useful

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

26 November 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a condition in where there is a gradual decline in the brains functioning – it can cause a number of different symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to carry out the normal tasks of daily living.

Name of dementia:

What are the most common forms of dementia?

Alzheimer’s disease

Causes:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common sort of dementia. Alzheimer’s is where there are damaged tissues building up around the brain and as a result of proteins deposit and this causes the cells around them to die.

There are two types of proteins, called amyloid which forms plaques around the brain and tua, which form tangles with in the cells of the brain. Also, chemicals that carry messages in the brain are affected.

Signs and symptoms:

There are 3 different stages of Alzheimer’s disease which show different signs and symptoms – they are as follows;

Mild Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Confusion
Becoming forgetfulness or poor memory
Speak difficulty in selection of correct words
Becoming disorientated

Moderate Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Loss of ability to function independently
Progressive loos of memory

Severe Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Become extremely confused and disorientated
Suffer from delusions and hallucinations
Become very wary of people around them
Severe memory loss
Not been able to know how someone is
Some individuals may become violent

Vascular dementia

Causes:

Vascular dementia is when arteries that supply blood to the brain become blocked – this can cause a stroke and the brain is starved of oxygen and tiny areas of the brain are damaged, leading to vascular dementia.

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Vascular dementia may sometimes develop very sudden or gradually over a period of months – common signs and symptoms could be;

Slow concentration levels making simple task become very hard for them

Low attention span
Memory loss
Chane in mood swings and general personality
Signs of depression
The ability to function when walking and loss of balance
Not sleeping and wandering during the night

Lewy Bodies

Causes:

Dementia with Lewy Bodies are tiny protein deposits found in nerve cells that disrupt the functioning of the brain. When a build-up occurs, it prevents the brain from making the required amount of important chemicals

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Lewy Bodies may sometimes develop gradually and become worse over a period of years – common signs and symptoms could be;

Memory loss
Instable confusion
Loss of smell
Rigid movement
Slow walking with a shuffle
Hallucinations
Unable to contain a regular sleep pattern
Muscular jerking in the arms and legs
No facial expression

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Causes:

Frontotemporal dementia is common form of dementia in people under 65 years of age. It is caused when damage to the front areas of the brain by clumps of abnormal protein forming inside.

Signs and symptoms:

The most common symptoms Frontotemporal dementia involve severe changes in personality and emotional behaviour – other common signs and symptoms could be;

Sudden changes in personality and emotional behaviour, for example, the individual may become less complex to other people emotions and seem bitter towards them. This can also include a person who was very outgoing, may become very isolated or vice versa.

Shyness and not willing to speak to anyone due to difficulty in understanding what people are saying.

Have very childish behaviour.
Poor personal hygiene.
Mood swings and possible depression.
Repetitiveness behaviour and possible hording of other people things.
Have very inappropriate behaviour to others, such as inappropriate language or comments or even inappropriate sexual suggestions.
Become very aggressive.Become easily distracted.

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid Dementia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

5 November 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid – Part 2

How can an individual’s schizophrenia may affect others?

Not only will schizophrenia affect the individual life it may also affect others around them. It will affect others, but mainly family and friends, even though friends and family will have the persons best interest at heart they may become frustrated after a period of time if the individual has not made any progress.

Some examples could be;

Sometimes family or friends may not be able to cope with the individual suffering schizophrenia due to the slow recovery time. This can become very frustrating for the family. The individual may be suspicious or aggressive to family and friends and they may feel they cannot offer the support for this condition, in some cases they may wish to cut ties with the person.
As previously mentioned, a person suffering with schizophrenia has delusions and hallucinations bringing a huge dysfunction to their normal daily routine, such as hygiene, eating, and exercise. This again can cause frustration and anger after time from friends and family.
Schizophrenia suffers will depend on alcohol and drugs to take away any self-relieve. This will affect the family by watching the person worsen and even develop further mental health issues such as paranoia

What are possible interventions and treatments for schizophrenia?

Medical interventions for schizophrenia are to help reduce they illness or even reduce the possibility of a relapse.

Some examples of possible interventions for an individual suffering from schizophrenia would be:

Antipsychotic medication

Antipsychotic medication is a prescription drug, but it will not cure schizophrenia. It can however, help relieve the symptoms of schizophrenia such as delusions and hallucinations.

Hospitalisation

Individuals who suffer with schizophrenia illness are mostly treated by specialist GP’s or mental health nurses as out patients. However, people who suffer with severe schizophrenia illnesses or those who may talk about self-harm or suicide will need specialist treatment in hospitals to help them recover and be kept under special observation

Electroconvulsive Therapy

This form of treatment was once known as electroshock therapy. This is mainly given under a general anaesthesia where seizures are electrically induced into the individual to help them with some relief from mental disorders

Psychological Treatment

Psychological Treatment can help with the behavioural, psychological, social and emotional problems with this condition, thought therapy would allow an individual to control their symptoms and realise the early warning signs and put an action plan in place to stop any relapse.

These types of therapy can include;

Training sessions of rehabilitation that will help the individual to improve confidence and social skills in order to help them live more independently and not rely on friends and family on a day to day basis
Individual psychotherapy activities to help build self-esteem and allow the person to understand their illness in a less stressful environment
Support group therapy – this will give ongoing support to the individual or more important to discuss with other sufferers just how they are feeling at times
Family support therapy will allow the whole family, as well as the person suffering with schizophrenia illnesses to understand more and be able to deal better with any situation they may encounter

How can an individual with schizophrenia can help manage their own illness?

Following on from Medical interventions and treatment for schizophrenia an individual can also help to manage their own illness. This self-help can be managed in a few different ways for example;

Self-help groups

By attending self-help groups, this would provide an opportunity for individuals moving forward to share experiences best practice and different ways of dealing with the illness, the groups will also help better understand the condition and other advice and support out there.

Avoid unnecessary stress

A person could also avoid undue stress where possible, if a person is working long hours at work then they could reduce this time by speaking with their line manager or employer. The equality act 2010 makes “reasonable adjustments” to facilitate the employment of a disabled person, this includes individuals diagnosed with a mental health illness

General good health

A Healthy life still is so important for self-help with an individual who is diagnosed with schizophrenia illness, especially if they are antipsychotic medication as this could cause high risk to the persons physical health. Nutrition and a healthy balanced diet are essential and it’s also advised for a more day to day healthy life style too, this could include; taken regular exercise such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming etc.. along with having a regular sleep pattern and avoiding doing stressful jobs or activities.

How can others help an individual with schizophrenia to manage their illness?

There are many different ways in which other people can help someone diagnosed with the illness schizophrenia. First and foremost, family and friends can have a pivotal role in helping an individual manage their condition.

People with schizophrenia need to feel loved and wanted and really need and benefit talking to someone so they can discuss their feeling and thoughts.

Here are some ways that friends, family and others can help someone with schizophrenia illness;

Know more about the schizophrenia illness.

People can conduct in-depth research in order to find out more about the illness and by knowing more about the illness, this will allow them to emphasis with the individual and notice any possible triggers. For example, it can be very difficult to understand and act if the person is disagreeing with you on something they believe in which is not actually true. So by understanding the illness and symptoms, will become more beneficial to focus on how the person is actually feeling instead of what they are actually experiencing

By understanding the illness more will also help to put planning in place and looking at different way in dealing with it.

Practical support

They could offer practical support such as helping them find accommodation or taking them to therapy groups if they lack the transport or if there are any barriers.

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

Keep a diary

It is very useful to keep a record of the person who has the illness and log everything down. This can include, any types of symptoms, old or new, any medication that the person is or had taken and if there have been any side effects from the types of mediation. By keeping this type of diary will help friends and family to look out for the various signs in the future.

Join support groups

Friends and family can play a major role in encouraging the person to attend and join support groups. This will help the individual talk to others who suffer with schizophrenia and share experiences and best practice on how they cope with different symptoms

Continued offer of help and support

Also let the person know you are there for them anytime of the day or night. This will help them feeling wanted and loved and can help reduce any stress levels. By offering strong emotional support will be huge for a person with schizophrenia, friends and family could also encourage the person to continue with their treatment and offer encouragement.

Provide emergency help

This is a vital part in the ways in which others can help the individual with schizophrenia. For example, we discussed earlier that a person who suffers from severe schizophrenia may have self-harm or suicidal thoughts. If this is the case then friend and family need to act fast and get the immediate help in order to get the person safe and the appropriate treatment

What resources are available to an individual experiencing schizophrenia?

Local resources would be GP’s

A GP is normally the first port of call – they can offer advice, make referrals and prescribe any appropriate medication.

The GP’s will also put in place the next stages for the person such as, mental health assessment, a care plan, appoint a social worker to work on a day to day basis with the person and monitor and review the person on a regular basis

What they offer

Medication that is prescribed could be a therapy in order to help control symptoms.

Community mental health teams

The community mental health team provide the day to day support for the individual and any treatment in order for them to make sure the person has as much independence as they can.

Other treatments and services involved could include taking therapy, counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy which will work with the individual to self-control their condition. An independent social worker can also be appointed

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

28 October 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia Part 1

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic mental health disorder that affects how a person may be thinking, feeling, and behaving. Individuals suffering with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality and will not know what is real and what is unreal

Schizophrenia is a long-term condition that will also affect a number of psychological symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations

Even though schizophrenia may not be as common as other mental health disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.

How does media coverage cause fear and misunderstanding to schizophrenia?

The media tends to blow schizophrenia out of proportion and it is widely misinformed in the media, due to this a lot of the general public have a fear of this condition. For example, the media often use the term “schizophrenia” to portray someone as being totally out of control or having a split personality – but it’s not and this leads to high volumes of the general public to believe it is without understanding the disorder.

Media coverage can also portray an individual with this condition as violent and that the individual is only safe to society if they are locked away in an institute. Well this is not the case as most people who suffer schizophrenia do not tend to commit any violent crime – but studies have shown that individuals with drug or alcohol problems are twice more likely to commit violent crime

Stigmatisation of the media cover of is schizophrenia can be excessive. For example, the individual can be seen as being so disruptive that people with those conditions must be isolated from society. This can also cause fear for the person suffering and also their family

What are possible causes of schizophrenia?

With schizophrenia, there is no evidence or answers as to why some people will suffer with schizophrenia and some people won’t – but at the same time, its not easy to identify what caused it. Individuals who will be diagnosed with schizophrenia will have a few ongoing factors in their life which could possible trigger the causes,

The possible causes of schizophrenia could be:

A genetic inheritance can be a cause of this, as some families are more prone than others. By developing a certain gene can make someone more vulnerable but not necessarily develop schizophrenia however, someone is more likely to develop this condition if their parent has schizophrenia.
Drug abuse can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, using excessive amounts of cannabis, an individual is six times more likely to develop this condition if they use cannabis or any other recreational drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, LSD or ketamine on a regular basis.
Brain damage can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, either an infection during pregnancy or the possible lack of oxygen to the brain is reduced during birth.
A stressful life event may trigger schizophrenia, this could be things such as, being homeless or living in deprived areas where poverty is high, a job loss or loss of a family member.
Physical or verbal abuse may also be factors of the causes of schizophrenia.

What are the feelings an individual with schizophrenia may experience?

A person with schizophrenia may experience positive and negative feelings

Positive feelings with schizophrenia do not mean good, it actually refers to symptoms not present in an individual without schizophrenia – the positive symptoms help identify abnormal mental functions such as;

Delusions such as a false belief a person has even though there is over whelming evidence to suggest otherwise, such as believing they are being followed or spied on constantly. There is limited examples of delusions as it can be about anything.
Hallucinations are when a person is hearing, seeing, feeling or smelling things that are not real, most people with schizophrenia say they hear voices, these voices may give orders that they feel should be followed and can be often aggressive voices or of a sexual nature
Thought process, this can be things such as, thought insertion where a person belief their thoughts in their mind are not their own.
Another one could be thought broadcasting where the individual believes their thoughts are being read by others.
Thought withdrawal, this is where the individual thinks someone is removing their own thoughts from their own mind
Thought blocking, this is where the individual had a mind block where they cannot remember what they were actually talking about in a certain conversation

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia – Negative symptoms

Some negative feelings with schizophrenia are the absence of the mental function that should be present and these could be:
Lack of motivation where everything seems as an effort, tasks may not be complete and concentration levels are poor. This can include facial expressions and voice tone
Emotions may be flat and sometimes these emotions maybe odd, for example they mag giggle at something that is actually not funny or sad
A person experiencing negative feelings would also be more likely to self-neglect and show signs of poor personal hygiene, and may appear to be in their own zone of thoughts. Education can be difficult and this could have memory problems for the individual and also difficulty in planning and organising.

How can schizophrenia affect the individual and their life?

Schizophrenia can carry a vast negative impact with major affects to an individual’s life and normal day to day life and routine can become near impossible. Delusions and hallucinations will stop the individual focusing and they are more likely to neglect themselves such as personal care, dressing, eating and drinking and going shopping.

individuals suffering with schizophrenia often turn to alcohol and or drugs to take away any thoughts. This would have a huge effect as it will make the condition worse, especially if the individual is on medication as it would not work as effective.

An individual with schizophrenia may withdraw themselves and this would make it harder for them to have a healthy relationship with their friends and family, they may even become suspicious or hostile of them.

Individuals with schizophrenia often have suicidal thoughts. Any talk of suicide from someone suffering schizophrenia should be taken extremely serious and help should be sorted immediately

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

4 October 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression. Postnatal depression affects certain mothers once they give birth to their baby. Postnatal Depression can leave the mother feeling low for a lengthy period of time and the illness can be either mild of severe.

What the difference between the terms ‘baby blues’ and ‘post-natal depression’?

Baby blues is a temporary form of depression and soon disperse once the mother has adjusted to changes and demands of the baby. The time duration of baby blues usually only last three or four days.

Baby blues is very common with new mothers and affects around 80% of mothers and normally occurs two to four days after birth. Some common symptoms could include feeling emotional and crying for no apparent reason, the mothers may suffer a loss in appetite and experience difficulty in sleeping.

Postnatal is different as it can last for a lengthier period of time and can be severe and disabling for the mother.

Postnatal Depression can affect 1 in 10 new mothers and occurs when the baby is in-between four to six months old. Post-natal can come on gradually or all of a sudden and the effects can be either mild or severe and common symptoms can be confusion, anxiety or depression.

What are the possible risk factors for developing postnatal depression?

As with most Risk factors associated with mental health, they can be categorised as the following:

Physical
Psychological
Environmental

Certain risk factors for developing post-natal depression can vary as there are many possibilities, risk factors for developing post-natal depression could include:

The mother experiencing a difficult of traumatic labour or birth
An none wanted pregnancy where the mother did not want to give birth
Fertility issues including difficulties in conceiving
Relationship problems, including domestic violence
Sexual or violent abuse as a child or adult
Lack of support from the baby’s partner, family and social isolation

What are the main features of puerperal psychosis?

Puerperal psychosis is an extreme form of post-natal depression and can also be known as postpartum psychosis, some describe it as losing touch with reality and being over demanding.

Puerperal psychosis develops very suddenly and often occurs within the first few weeks of given birth. The features can include hallucinations, delusions, depression or even suicide attempts, sudden mood swings, thoughts of causing harm or rejection to the baby and anxiety.

Puerperal psychosis can cause irrational actions and behaviour, it is similar to the characteristics of bi-polar and schizophrenia. Characteristics vary depending on the individual and previous mental health.

What are the feelings an individual may have when experiencing post-natal depression?

Post-natal depression can affect women in various individual ways. It often starts within the first year after giving birth and can develop all of a sudden. Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

An individual that suffers with postnatal depression may experience a wide range of feelings, these may include feeling despondent and constantly thinking of negative thoughts, they may also feel very tired and lethargic. A loss of appetite often may occur along with a disturbed sleeping pattern.

The individual may be hostile to their partner or the baby, have panic attacks and a feeling of anxiety.

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

Postnatal Depression can affect people in different ways, for example;

The mother

The mother may have a lot of depression and negative thoughts with postnatal depression, but the effects may vary depending on the severity of the post-natal depression. Other factors that may affect the mother could be the lack of motivation which could result in the individual neglecting themselves or the baby.

They may feel isolated and have difficulty sleeping, this will mean they will be tired and affect how they do things. These can lead to anxiety and increase the risk of a panic attack.

Bonding with the baby

It’s vital for a mother to bond with her baby so she can offer the baby the security, emotional safety and well-being that is required.

Postnatal depression can affect bonding as it could cause the mother to feel unable to look after the baby, the mother may feel failure and being detached because of bonding problems. They may want no physical contact with the baby and in serious cases may have thoughts of harming the baby.

Others

It can make it sad and uncomfortable for friends and family to witness the mother unable to cope with having a baby and dealing with depression.

They may feel helpless if the mother refuses to be helped and she may seem unapproachable – this will cause uncertainly of how to react. Partners may suffer emotionally and financially as they may need to take time off work to support the mother.

Partners, friends and family may feel helpless and this could lead to friction and conflict. They may also feel partly to blame or even become depressed themselves.

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression – What are the preparations for birth that may reduce the risk of postnatal depression?

The mother, family and friends can all help in a collective way to help reduce certain risks of post-natal depression – this can be done well in advance of the birth by clear planning and preparation

Some ways of reducing the chances of postnatal depression would be to have ideas in mind in the planning ahead. Good exercise and a healthy balanced diet during pregnancy can help the mother emotionally and also her unborn child. To have a birth plan of wishes and preferences may also reduce the risks.

The person should avoid stress where possible and have appropriate support thought the pregnancy and decide on a birthing partner. A good way to avoid the possible stress is to attend antenatal sessions with their partner and keep good communications with the local health nurse.

The knowledge and opinions of mother hood from other mothers to get and insight into their experiences or any changes and what may occur would also help.

What are self-help measures for post-natal depression?

By having self-help measures in place this can allow a mother to manage any possible risks of Post-natal depression

The following self-help measures for post-natal depression could be:

Eat a health balanced diet and not go too long without food – this will keep sugar levels up and this can help stop any anxiety.
Joining support groups and sharing experiences with other sufferers, this can gain new ways of coping and reduce the feeling of isolation
Learning to nap when the baby does– this will keep the mother feeling less tired and feeling low
Don’t drink alcohol or use any drugs or substance – not only could this affect the unborn baby but also could make the mother incapable of any other self-help measures
Talk to a supportive person such as a friend or family member – by doing this, it can allow others to have an insight into ways they can support you. Also, it can give the sense of release to open up and talk about feelings.
Set daily and weekly goals and targets – this can help with the mother’s routine with the baby
Do regular steady exercise such as walking – this will help with recovery and keep a health mind set
Relax as much as possible and don’t take on unnecessary tasks or challenges – this will keep the mother fresh and motivated and reduces the risk of anxiety

What are possible treatments for post-natal depression?

Possible treatments for postnatal depression could be:

Counselling or talking therapy

This can help the sufferer open up and talk about their feelings, then the counsellor can help the individual find ways to change things for a happier life. Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

The two main types of therapy are cognitive therapy and interpersonal therapy

A type of psychotherapy which is about the way people (in this case mothers suffering post-natal depression) reflect on things that affects how they feel emotionally and in general.

It spotlights on the current way of thinking and behaviour instead of thinking about past experiences.

Hormone therapy can reduce the symptoms of post-natal depression, it is a replacement of oestrogen what the mother maybe short of after childbirth.

Anti-depressants

Can be effective treatment for post-natal depression but must be prescribed by a doctor, normally your local GP. The Anti-depressants can help the mother with her symptoms by allowing her to function better and engage better with her new born. The Anti-depressants may only be given on prescription if the mother is suffering with moderate to severe depression

What local resources are available to an individual experiencing Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression?

Resources

local GP’s can prescribe medication or refer the person to an expert, counsellor or community mental health team. A the GP can refer the mother to a health visitor to arrange regular home visits to offer advice and support.
A counsellor can be very helpful as they can offer an impartial and objective view on how the person is feeling. The community mental health team will be a constant network of support.

Treatments

Treatments available could be:

Guided self-help is where the GP can provide information to help the individual self-help, these cover the issues the person is facing and provide practical advice on how to deal with them.
Antidepressants can be prescribed by a GP to help an individual deal with this condition, this will usually be a last resort such as a severe form of PND and counselling has not been successful.
Talking therapies encourage the person to talk through their problems, two common forms of talking therapies are cognitive behavioural therapy which aims to break negative thought patterns and find new ways of thinking. The other one is interpersonal therapy which aims to identify if relationships with others may be contributing towards feelings of depression.

Please click here to download the The Power of Positive Thinking videos and resources

What resources can a person with puerperal psychosis require?

Resources an individual with psychosis would require would be:

Referral to a community mental health team would happen if the mother is suffering a severe condition or if the individual does not respond to current treatment. The community mental health are a specialist team of nurses, occupational therapist, psychologies and psychiatrists
Mother and baby mental health clinic maybe recommended if no one can look after the baby and the CMHT feel it will impact on the baby’s development to separate if from its mother.
Admission to hospital can be a resource if the condition is extremely severe and there is deemed to be a risk of self-harm or harm to the baby. If there is support from family then it may be recommended they care for the baby until the mother is well enough to return home.

What are the treatments a person with puerperal psychosis would require?

There are two main treatments, these are which would be a

Medication for puerperal psychosis can be made from a combination of; mood stabilising medication such as an anti-epileptic drug, an antipsychotic to help symptoms of psychosis or a tranquilliser to help the mother keep calm and relaxed.

Under no circumstances can the mother breastfeed their child id they are taking any types of these medication.

Electroconvulsive therapy may only be used under special circumstances and when other treatments have not been successful.

Electroconvulsive therapy is a process that requires to be taken out under a general anaesthesia.

The procedure sends electric currents to the brain, in turn to purposefully cause a brief seizure to the individual. The whole procedure is thought to make changes to the brain by decreasing the number of connections.

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or contact us if you would like to book an in-house mental health first aid course

Free Training Courses In Durham

26 August 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Free Training Courses In Durham – Are you age between 16 and 24, unemployed due to the effects of COVID-19 or would like a change in career, then why not join our free courses in Durham. SMARTT North East will deliver a 12 day course held at Consett AFC football stadium

We are starting Tuesday 2nd September (a week Tuesday) at 10am at Consett AFC

We will brief all the learners in more detail on the start of the course but here is the dates and times;

The address is Belle view stadium, Delves Lane, Consett DH8 7BF
Start Tuesday 2nd 10am to 3pm
Wednesday – Friday 10am-3pm the rest of the week
The following 2 weeks will be Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm

We will of cause be having breaks and lunch times etc but food will not be available due to COVID-19, so leaners will be need to either bring lunch or they have the option to use local shops

All course resources will be supplied on the day of the course and PPE will be available for practical activities (gloves/masks/sanitiser)

Learners are not requested to wear a face mask or gloves during the sessions but if they wish to do so them that’s OK

Free Training Courses In Durham

What qualifications can I get for free?

Successful learners will gain 6 sector skills qualification in the following;

Level 2 Food Safety for Catering
Level 2 Personal Licence Holders
Level 2 Conflict Management
Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work
Level 2 Principles of Fire Safety
Level 2 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Learners will take part in many different activities in both classroom environment and outdoor, such activities will include; Problem activities, Communication, Working in teams and Improve own learning. We use a variety of teaching methods to ensure learning styles are accommodated including kinaesthetic, auditory and visual methods, and appropriate and sensitive assessment procedures to support learners and encourage confidence and trust. Free Training Courses In Durham

If you have question on our COVID-19 Risk Assessment please view it here and please visit here for free resources

For further details please dont hesitate contacting us here

Free First Aid Courses

30 July 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

SMARTT are running free First Aid courses in Consett. The courses are part of a fully funded course though DurhamWorks.

As well as free First Aid courses, learners will also gain 6 further qualifications in just 12 days – please see here for more details on the other courses

Free First Aid Courses

Below are just a small sample that will be covered on the free First Aid Courses; but please download our FREE 104 page First Aid Manual

Respiratory System

How the respiratory system works?

The main aim of the respiratory system is to supply oxygen to all parts of the body; breathing is essential to life.

How we breathe in and out – When the diaphragm contracts (goes down) we breathe in, when it expands (goes up) we breathe out. Air is drawn in through the mouth and nose and goes down the trachea (windpipe). The oesophagus is behind the trachea and food and drink go down this. To stop food and drink going down the trachea there is a flap of skin called the epiglotis that prevents this from happening. From the trachea the air goes down into the bronchus and in turn the bronchus tubes (one to the right lung, one to the left lung).

From here the alveoli act as a two-way valve (membrane), air passes through the membrane into the blood and waste products from the blood are drawn into the alveoli. When we exhale, the diaphragm expands, waste products are expelled up the bronchus, the trachea and expelled through the mouth and nose.

The composition of the air that we breathe in is a mixture of:
Nitrogen (76%)
Oxygen (20%)
Other gases (4%)
Carbon dioxide (trace)
When we exhale we breathe out a mixture of:
Carbon dioxide (4%)
Nitrogen (76%)
Oxygen (16%)
Other gases (4%)

What are the 4 main functions of the respiratory system?

The 4 main functions within the respiratory are;

Breathing – (air)
Sound Production –
Olfactory Assistance – (smell)
Protection

Small Splinters

Splinters are foreign objects that embed themselves into the skin, either fully or partially. Splinter injuries are often surprisingly painful and are a common occurrence that can be caused by many
things such as:

Shards of glass
Splinters of wood
Splinters of plastic
Sliver of metal.

To find out more or book a place on our courses please contact us here

Please click here for more free resources