Superyacht recruitment agency, Quay Crew is giving all crew members placed by them access to a 24/7 mental health helpline staffed by trained psychologists.

The recruitment agency has agreed an exclusive partnership with Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS), an organisation comprising qualified clinical psychologists who specialise in supporting seafarers and the maritime industry worldwide.

As part of the collaboration, MHSS and Quay Crew will jointly commit to delivering a programme of free educational webinars and content that supports management companies, captains and heads of departments (HODs) in helping crew to improve their mental health onboard.

Online events already being scheduled will focus on common causes of stress, anxiety and depression, including how to deal with or avoid burnout, conflict resolution, bullying and harassment and substance abuse. The companies have also launched an industry-specific mental health survey to gather data that aims to highlight the most critical mental health concerns of crew.

Tim Clarke, director at Quay Crew, commented, “Anecdotal evidence from conversations with Captains, HODs and hundreds of super yacht crew has highlighted just how many people onboard suffer with poor mental health. So, we are delighted to be able to give our placed crew access to this service, delivered by qualified psychologists.”

Christian Ayerst, CEO of MHSS, added, “Poor mental health is not just debilitating and often traumatising to the individual, but it can affect everyone onboard, from overall morale to productivity. The past 18 months have only highlighted to us how significant mental health issues at sea can be, largely due to long hours and isolation from family and friends, so it’s fantastic to be supported by a company with such a strong foothold in the superyacht sector.”

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