Throughout the pandemic, healthcare staff have been tasked with some very difficult decisions. Often, these have had a direct impact on the lives of your patients. With this in mind, it is totally normal to feel “survivor’s guilt” or anxiety for the future. In response to the extreme pressures you have faced, you might feel as though you need to reassess things. It’s completely understandable, too.  

No matter what you’re feeling, help is available to you from a variety of sources, and we’ll outline some of those below:

Online 

Silvercloud is an online course designed to support your mental health needs. You can visit the website or download the app and use the code NHS2020. [link]

Common rooms offer a way to meet other healthcare professionals to discuss your experiences and support one another. [link]

Webinars for NHS staff, with a focus on wellbeing, can be found at this link. Join live every Wednesday from 4-5 pm.

Apps

A number of apps are offering free psychological support to NHS staff, and all you need to do is sign-up with your NHS email address. These include: Unmind, Headspace, Sleepio, Daylight. You’re a superstar at tending to the needs of others, so make sure to take some time away from the stress and bustle of daily life to focus on your own wellbeing. 

Immediate help

Samaritans, Shout and Hospice UK have coordinated their efforts into several phone lines to offer support, guidance or just a friendly ear. If you need help now, you can call these from 7 am to 11 pm daily: 

Listening Line for all NHS Staff at 0300 131 7000

Bereavement and Loss Support Line at 0300 303 4434. 

Or text “Frontline” to 85258. 

There is also a dedicated mailbox for requests, recommendations and information: nhsi.wellbeingc19@nhs.net

As we enter the next phase of the pandemic, after the peak, the NHS has committed to a number of actions. The content outlined earlier in this article will continue to be created and rolled out for the benefit of all healthcare staff. They will also devise more responsive content which is based on the feedback received from their own testing and evaluation processes.  

As frontline staff, you are best placed to give your opinions on the running of the healthcare system during this period and rest assured that the NHS will continue to respond to the feedback it has received via calls and texts. It’s this feedback that has led them to develop and promote multiple initiatives such as their webinar series, mental health apps for NHS staff, and the peer support network which is available through Common Rooms. These resources will continue to be available to you. 

Most importantly, the NHS has reviewed current mental health provisions and is making it a matter of national interest to raise the standards for practical support. The mental health and wellbeing of all healthcare professionals is an absolute priority, and one that we share at ProMedical.