Mental Health

Mental Health Toolkit Rolled Out Across Royal Navy Fleet

An offline version of the mental health platform HeadFIT has been rolled out across the Royal Navy.

A CD version has been distributed throughout the Royal Navy Fleet, Submarine Service, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

It will also be available to those deploying with the Carrier Strike Group this year and aims to boost wellbeing and reduce stress levels.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer said: "We're committed to ensuring our Armed Forces receive the mental health support they deserve.

"By rolling out HeadFIT across the entire Royal Navy fleet, we've taken another vital step in ensuring our people have the tools they need to maintain their mental fitness wherever they are in the world.

"HeadFIT builds on an existing suite of measures including increased spending on mental health services, a 24-hour hotline for service personnel and their families and the introduction of mandatory mental health training for all personnel this spring."

The CD mirrors the digital HeadFIT app that the Duke of Sussex helped launch last year.

All Navy personnel will get access to CD which mirrors the digital HeadFIT app launched last year (Picture: Royal Navy). — All Navy personnel will get access to the CD which mirrors the digital HeadFIT app launched last year (Picture: Royal Navy).

It offers techniques and advice for fostering good mental health habits, from goal-setting to distraction techniques.

Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Nick Hine, stressed the need for "ambitious" mental health solutions.

"It is absolutely critical to me that we prioritise activities to support and improve the mental fitness and resilience of our internationally deployed team.

"HeadFIT - as an offline tool - will empower individuals to access expert support services in improving their own mental wellbeing.

"Our ambitious Transformation programme is integrating technology and smart ways of working to optimise Human Performance and this is one step in the journey."

HeadFIT, which was developed in partnership with the Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign, the Ministry of Defence and King’s College London, is designed for all defence personnel.

Each of the single services and Civil Service have mental health programmes and HeadFIT is designed to support those.

Cover image: MOD.