Care for Carers
Mental health in healthcare must be prioritised beyond COVID-19 Healthcare workers have been on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 for over a year now, working round the clock to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.
Dr Nick Taylor unmind.com
Dr Nick Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Unmind, a workplace mental health platform that provides clinically-based tools and training to create healthier, happier and more human organisations. Drawing on an early passion for the human mind, Nick studied psychology before gaining a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and embarking on a career with the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist, where he became interested in corporate wellness. Nick then co-founded Unmind in 2016 to address a gap in helping organisations provide their employees with the right tools to look after their mental wellbeing at work.
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nd while their efforts have been praised by the British public, the pandemic has seen a surge in mental ill health, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among healthcare staff. NHS workers have been overworked and are continually confronted with extremely traumatic situations. Recent research conducted by King’s College London reports that 45% of intensive care staff in the UK now have poor mental wellbeing, including 40% with PTSD.[1] And it’s likely that these numbers will grow as we emerge into the new normal. As recovery continues, the wellbeing of healthcare workers is vital. The added exertion they’re having to make will have a dramatic impact on their mental health, unless mental wellbeing is prioritised not only right now but also post-crisis.
We need a call for measures that offer proactive psychological support, taking into account the specificities of the trauma and experiences frontline workers have faced in the last year. Why? Because the stakes are too high and if we don’t address this issue now, there will be long-term ramifications. The goal is as much to help healthcare workers thrive and live fulfilling lives as it is to prevent mental health challenges from arising in the first place. Build Resilience to Fight Burnout The World Health Organization defines burnout as “A syndrome [...] resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”[2]. There’s a misconception that burnout happens all of a sudden. Instead, it’s a steady drip of negative experiences and stressors that erode us bit by bit.
