RCVS launches mental health and suicide awareness Academy courses

The RCVS Academy, our free online learning platform, has launched two new courses to support the mental health of veterinary professionals.

The ‘Managing mental health in the workplace’ and ‘Suicide awareness fundamentals’ courses have been developed with our Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) and experts in workplace mental health and suicide prevention.

Part of MMI’s ‘Prevent’ workstream, these courses emphasise the importance of proactively promoting good mental health in veterinary workplaces and giving professionals the knowledge and skills to respond to challenges confidently. By developing the skills to respond to mental health needs effectively, learners will be able to contribute to a sustainable, inclusive and supportive workplace environment.

‘Managing mental health in the workplace’ is aimed at both current and aspiring veterinary managers and leaders. It explores the necessity of preventative approaches to mental health at work, how to recognise when mental health challenges may arise, and how to respond constructively to create a safe, inclusive and supportive environment. The course was developed in collaboration with clinical psychologist, coach and researcher, Dr Jo Burrell, and chartered clinical coaching psychologist, Dr Felicity Baker, workplace mental health and resilience experts.

‘Suicide awareness fundamentals’ aims to provide veterinary professionals with a fundamental knowledge and understanding of suicide, enabling them to feel more confident and prepared to respond to suicide-related situations with sensitivity and care. The course was developed in collaboration with Dr Rosie Allister MRCVS - veterinary professionals’ mental health, wellbeing and suicide researcher and Consultant Manager of Vetlife Helpline. Learners will explore the factors that contribute to suicide, particularly within the veterinary field, and explore practical ways to help create a safer, more supportive workplace.

MMI Lead Rapinder Newton said: “Too often, responses to mental health in the workplace are reactive and only when individuals are struggling with their mental health. These courses support MMI’s aim to shift the focus to organisation and systemic change; to create environments that prevent or limit harm, support wellbeing and make it safe for people to thrive.

"Too often, responses to mental health in the workplace are reactive and only when individuals are struggling with their mental health. These courses support MMI’s aim to shift the focus to organisation and systemic change; to create environments that prevent or limit harm, support wellbeing and make it safe for people to thrive."

“We hope that everyone who completes the courses can take away at least one or two learnings that they can reflect on and then use to make changes in their place of work. We recognise that having conversations about mental health at work can be daunting and feel challenging – these courses are designed to help provide you with the skills and confidence to have those vital conversations.”

Both courses consist of six modules and are available to access for free on the RCVS Academy, under the ‘Culture and wellbeing’ category, which also features MMI’s ‘Civility fundamentals’ course. To access the RCVS Academy, veterinary professionals can log in with their RCVS MyAccount details at https://academy.rcvs.org.uk/ .

In addition to the on-demand learning content, an Academy Live event will also be taking place on Monday 3 November at 1pm -  ‘An introduction to managing mental health in the workplace’. This will provide learners with an opportunity to engage directly with subject matter experts and ask questions about the ‘Managing mental health in the workplace’ course.

 All Academy Live sessions complement existing and future Academy content, supporting veterinary professionals in meeting their CPD goals. To sign up to the event, visit the dedicated Academy Live booking page.

If you have any questions about the course or the Academy Live event, email [email protected].