Six Western Isles Organisations Step Up for NHS Mental Health Accreditation Scheme

Six organisations from across the Western Isles are taking part in a pilot of the NHS Western Isles Mental Health Accreditation Scheme, aimed at promoting positive mental wellbeing within the workplace.

The scheme was developed by NHS Western Isles in 2025, following consultation with local employers to understand better the types of support they would value in improving staff mental health and wellbeing.

The organisations participating in the pilot are Hebridean Housing Partnership, Ishga, NHS Western Isles, Alzheimer Scotland, Navantia and An Garadh in Barra.

Through the accreditation programme, participating employers are recognising the importance of supporting mental health in the workplace and are committing to creating positive, supportive working environments that promote employee wellbeing.

The framework is centred around several key principles:

• senior leadership buy-in
• cultivating a positive workplace culture
• providing support and training
• encouraging positive work practices.

To achieve accreditation, organisations will work through a structured framework focusing on raising awareness of mental health, delivering staff training, reviewing recruitment practices, carrying out risk assessments and improving signposting to support services.

Norma MacLeod, NHS Western Isles Healthy Working Lives Advisor, said “Since launching our Mental Health First Aid training programme last July, we've trained 58 Mental Health First Aiders across local workplaces. The training supports organisations working towards the Mental Health Accreditation Scheme, while equipping participants with the skills and confidence to support colleagues, friends and family members. It's encouraging to see the positive impact this is having in raising awareness, reducing stigma and creating more supportive communities."

The accreditation scheme is delivered across three progressive levels, with each stage building on the previous one. The framework supports organisations in developing their approach to workplace mental health – from increasing awareness and understanding through to strategic planning and the provision of comprehensive support services.

NHS Western Isles hopes the pilot will help establish a consistent approach to workplace mental health across the Western Isles and encourage more organisations to prioritise employee wellbeing in the future.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the scheme can email norma.macleod1@nhs.scot

Above: Staff from five of the participating organisations attending Mental Health First Aid training sessions held on 13th and 21st May 2026.