HM Prison Service rolls out Mental Health First Aid Training in Wales / Gwasanaeth Carchardai EM yn cyflwyno Hyfforddi Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl yng Nghymru

Sgroliwch i lawr am y fersiwn Cymraeg

HM Prison Service is working with Mind Cymru to deliver Mental Health First Aid training to Prison Officers and staff in Cardiff and Swansea.

The courses will help those trained to spot the signs of whether prisoners or staff are experiencing mental health problems and offer advice on where they can go for help and support.

Claire Foster, Mental Health First Aid’s Project Manager, said:

“According to a recent report, published by Public Health Wales, it is estimated the vast majority of prisoners suffer from at least one mental health problem. Over half of the 3,300 prisoners currently held in Wales may have personality disorder and an even higher number are estimated to have alcohol or substance misuse problems. 

With this in mind, it’s fantastic to see HM Prison Services proactively working to address this and support those experiencing Mental Health problems. 

The Mental Health First Aid course itself, which is managed by one Wales' leading mental health charities Mind Cymru, mainly focuses on practical skills such as developing people’s confidence to talk about and ask about mental health as well as detailing the next steps to take if support is needed."

Marie Phillips, HM Prison Swansea’s Nurse Lead for Mental Health said:

“I was trained by Mind Cymru to be a Mental Health First Aid (Wales) Instructor in 2009. Since then I have trained 13 groups and now run three to four groups per year, which include staff from Swansea, Cardiff and Usk. Mind Cymru also recently trained Dean Williams, HM Prison Cardiff’s Discipline Officer. He said: 

Mental health issues are experienced everyday in the prison with many prisoners suffering from depression. Even though our Officers and staff are very vigilant we recognized the importance of expanding our knowledge on how to spot the early signs of someone experiencing a mental health problem. 

The Mental Health First Aid (Wales) course has attracted great interest from people in H M Prison Cardiff. The training course has provided me with the confidence to speak to people about how they can support others experiencing a mental health problem.”Dean will deliver the course primarily to prison staff in October this year. The two day Mental Health First Aid (Wales) course will be delivered every other month. He then hopes to develop a healthcare group and prisoner support groups in order to disperse the training to all parts of the prison."

Cymraeg

Mae Gwasanaeth Carchardai EM yn gweithio gyda Mind Cymru i roi hyfforddiant Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl i Swyddogion a staff Carchar yng Nghaerdydd ac Abertawe. 

Bydd y cyrsiau'n helpu'r sawl sy'n cael eu hyfforddi i adnabod yr arwyddion ynghylch a oes gan garcharorion neu staff broblemau iechyd meddwl, a chynnig cyngor iddynt ar leoedd i fynd i gael help a chefnogaeth.

Meddai Claire Foster, Rheolwr Prosiect Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl:

"Yn ôl adroddiad diweddar a gyhoeddwyd gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, amcangyfrifir bod gan y mwyafrif helaeth o garcharorion un broblem iechyd meddwl o leiaf. Mae'n bosibl fod gan dros hanner y 3,300 o garcharorion sydd dan glo yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd anhwylder personoliaeth, ac amcangyfrifir bod gan nifer uwch eto broblemau camddefnyddio alcohol neu sylweddau.

"O ystyried hyn, mae'n wych gweld Gwasanaethau Carchardai EM yn mynd ati'n rhagweithiol i ddelio â'r mater a chefnogi'r sawl sydd â phroblemau iechyd meddwl. 

"Mae'r cwrs Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl, a gaiff ei reoli ganMind Cymru, yn canolbwyntio'n bennaf ar sgiliau ymarferol megis datblygu hyder pobl i drafod iechyd meddwl a gofyn cwestiynau amdano, yn ogystal â nodi'r camau nesaf i'w cymryd os oes angen cymorth."Meddai Marie Philips, Nyrs Arweiniol Iechyd Meddwl Carchar EM Abertawe: 

"Cefais fy hyfforddi gan Mind Cymru i fod yn HyfforddwrCymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) yn 2009. Ers hynny rwyf wedi hyfforddi 13 o grwpiau ac rwyf nawr yn rhedeg tri i bedwar grŵp y flwyddyn sy'n cynnwys staff o Abertawe, Caerdydd a Brynbuga."Mae Mind Cymru hefyd wedi hyfforddi Dean Williams, Swyddog Disgyblu Carchar EM Caerdydd. Dywedodd: 

"Mae problemau iechyd meddwl yn codi bob dydd yn y carchar gyda nifer o garcharorion yn dioddef o iselder. Er bod ein Swyddogion a staff yn wyliadwrus iawn, roeddem yn cydnabod ei bod yn bwysig ehangu ein gwybodaeth am sut i adnabod yr arwyddion cynnar pan fydd gan rywun broblem iechyd meddwl. 

"Mae cwrs Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) wedi denu diddordeb mawr gan bobl yng Ngharchar EM Caerdydd. Mae'r cwrs hyfforddi wedi rhoi hyder i mi siarad â phobl am sut y gallant gefnogi eraill sydd â phroblem iechyd meddwl."Bydd Dean yn cyflwyno'r cwrs yn gyntaf i staff carchar ym mis Hydref eleni. Caiff y cwrs deuddydd Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) ei gynnal bob yn ail fis. Mae wedyn yn gobeithio sefydlu grŵp gofal iechyd a grwpiau cymorth carcharorion er mwyn lledaenu'r hyfforddiant i bob rhan o'r carchar.