Increasing mental health awareness among staff - the work of Vienna’s Psychological Counselling Centre

This case study outlines how the Vienna Health Network addresses high levels of occupational stress and staff shortages in health and social care work through its Psychological Counselling Centre and Psychological First Aid service.

Efforts to raise awareness and reduce mental health-related stigma are helping to prevent psychosocial risks and improve staff’s mental health outcomes as well as motivation. The training of peers as psychological first aiders is also supporting the management of emotional distress and, by extension, leading to increased patient safety.