As we approach 2025, workplaces are encouraged to update and enhance their first aid approaches, with St John Ambulance promoting a comprehensive health strategy that goes beyond treating physical injuries. Given the drastic number of working days lost from 2023 to 2024 due to workplace illness or injury—totaling 33.7 million in the UK alone—it is urgent for companies to reassess their first aid protocols. Notably, 16.4 million of these lost days were due to stress, depression, or anxiety, highlighting a profound need for mental health support alongside traditional first aid measures.
Consultant editor Nic Paton has underscored the need for regular reviews and updates to workplace first aid practices, emphasizing the importance of integrating mental health support. Businesses must recognize that first aid is not limited to managing physical injuries or maintaining emergency kits but should also encompass mental health well-being. This broader understanding of workplace health is essential to minimizing lost productivity and ensuring overall employee welfare.
To effectively prepare for 2025, businesses must adopt a holistic approach that tackles both physical and mental health issues. By doing so, they can reduce sick leave and foster a healthier and more supportive work environment, ultimately promoting the well-being of their workforce.
