Councillor Mental Health Training (CMHT) (PHIRST Light)

Introduction

Mental illness is one of the most common types of illness in the UK and has major implications for sickness absence rates and the UK economy. Mental health is shaped by social, economic, and environmental factors throughout the lifecourse. Differences in such factors between communities lead to differences in mental health outcomes, and therefore contrasting demands on health services.

Inequalities in social factors, such as poverty, inadequate education, unemployment, crime, air pollution, and limited access to the natural environment, are present between and within boroughs of Greater London.

The Thrive LDN Councillor Mental Health Training (CMHT) programme was designed to support London’s local government councillors to take meaningful action to improve mental health in their communities and to manage their personal mental health effectively. CMHT takes the form of a single two-hour session, usually online via Teams or Zoom. During the session the trainer talks through 56 PowerPoint slides with opportunities to ask questions and take part in interactive stages.

The training is split into two main sections; 1) principles of and ways to improve personal mental health as a councillor, and 2) principles of and ways to improve the mental health and well-being of their local community.

Following the perceived success of the training across the London region, the training is scheduled to be piloted across Greater Manchester; five sessions covering 10 boroughs. Methods The PHIRST-Light team have been tasked with evaluating the CMHT delivered in Greater London and Greater Manchester.

Mixed method approaches will be adopted across two observational studies in this evaluation, with a retrospective study in phase 1 (Greater London) and a pre-post study in phase 2 (Greater Manchester). Phase 1 will include a combination of re-analysing secondary survey data collected by the lead trainer and one-to-one interviews with a sub-sample of participants.

These measures will explore councillor perceptions of the feasibility and acceptability of the training, how the training has shaped knowledge, attitudes and intentions, and the sustainability of the training education. Phase 2 will include an online interview and pre-post online surveys, to capture the influence of the training on councillor knowledge of and attitudes towards personal mental health and the mental health of local residents, as well as any action taken towards influencing these outcomes since the training was held.

The secondary survey data collected by the lead trainer will also be obtained and re-analysed to assess training satisfaction and acceptability. The PHIRST-Light team will also review the relevant academic literature that provides guidelines for effective educational training programmes. This review will help the development of assessment forms designed to critique the content and structure of the training, and the effectiveness of trainer pedagogy.

An independent expert panel will be recruited and tasked with assessing these outcomes by observing a recording of the training and completing the assessment forms. Cost analysis will also be conducted (cost per session and attendee across phase 1 and 2). Finally, the research team will review currently available training for councillors provided by local authorities across Greater London and Greater Manchester, Thrive LDN and NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership (training stakeholders), which will provide context for the CMHT programme.

Results

All data collection is complete, and analysis is underway (July 2024). In phase 1 (Greater London), n=15 councillors have taken part in Interviews. N=145 training attendees provided secondary survey data.

In Phase 2, n=18 participants provided interview data and n=31 training attendees provided pre-post survey data. N= 26 participants provided secondary survey data. Two experts have assessment the content and structure of the training and the trainer pedagogy using assessment tools developed by the research group while observing a recording of the training. Training cost data has been obtained.

Conclusions Yet to be developed.