Over the past 18 months, Blue Stream Academy has witnessed the immense effect that COVID-19 has taken on our trainee community of over a quarter of a million health and care professionals.
We have seen many stretched beyond their limits, retired professionals returning to the sector to support the COVID-19 response and an incredible nationwide appreciation for every individual who stepped up to the unknown.
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As the UK begins to adjust to new forms of normality, we wanted to find out how our health and care professionals really feel. So, for this issue of BSA Today, we have decided to do things a little differently with regards to our Look Who’s Talking feature.
Instead of inviting one specific industry expert to have their say, we have handed this issue over to our Subscribers’ Club members to give them a dedicated platform to share their views on how the pandemic has changed their lives and practices.
More importantly, this article serves to highlight the benefits of open discussion as a way to improve standards and raise awareness of specific issues within health and social care. We provided each subscriber with the same 4 questions, and here is what they had to say…
With every single individual adapting to some new form of normal, we wanted to know which of the changes they thought should stay for good.
What changes due to COVID would you like to see continued?
Many subscribers felt that the increased hygiene and safety of wearing facemasks, along with limited physical contact, should be maintained, with a plea for increased awareness of the benefits of these practices being highlighted:
Strangers should not shake hands, and fake hugging and kissing colleagues should be a thing of the past! We all need to respect frontline workers in all industries, not just healthcare
Wearing of facemasks to be continued. Social distancing where possible
The awareness and acceptance of good practices around hygiene
Would like to see the continuation of wearing masks in public
Increased use of online consulting/ telephone triage as I feel this also benefits the patients and reduces packed waiting rooms
Technology being adopted more into communications between patients and practices
Continue with the virtual meetings, saves time and travelling
Working from home to continue if suitable to job role
GP telephone triage, telephone consultations, video consultations
These views were reflected in our second question, as we asked our subscribers:
Has your experience with remote technologies – for example, video calls and telephone appointments – been positive and would you recommend the continued use of these practices/ processes?
For many, the experience of using remote technologies was positive:
This has made a huge difference to patients as they can have either a GP phone appointment or video appointment without having to book time out from their work for a (face-to-face) GP appointment
I was sceptical at first using remote technologies, but I feel they have been overwhelmingly positive and have enabled us to stay in touch and up to date with colleagues, partners, patients and their families in ways that would not have been possible (otherwise). Obviously, some contact will need to go back to face-to-face/ in-person meetings, however, I do like the fact that we would be able to save money on train journeys if we are able to attend meetings and conferences from our desks!
For many, the benefits of technology have proven invaluable for patients and professionals alike, with many subscribers highlighting the importance of communication.
I think doctor telephone triage first is good - then, if the doctor wishes to see a patient F2F, they make the decision
Yes, has worked very well with clinical and non-clinical staff able to undertake a lot more training. And appointment times are kept too
I would definitely say that the video calls are a positive especially during COVID when trying to keep the amount of patients coming to the surgery down and, though restrictions are lifting, there will still be some patients who are hesitant to come to the surgery, so video calls are the way to go
I think telephone and online consulting has been great. It has given patients more choice and this should definitely continue once things are back to normal. It’s shown not everyone needs a face-to-face appointment every time
Yes I think the use of Zoom meetings has been great and should continue
However, there was some concern over the experience not having that personal touch:
In most cases no. They are too impersonal, but to prevent infection they should be used
Do you feel that there is adequate mental health support for NHS staff at present?
Many of our subscribers felt that there was an urgent need to increase the availability of mental health support, due to the rapidly rising numbers of people needing to access these services:
Yes I do but I also believe that, as the pandemic continues, more staff will be needing the support and then perhaps there won’t be adequate support to go round
I find we need more resources in mental health and more mental health first aiders in the workplace.“ “We can always do with more mental health support for NHS staff as we deal with so much complex and clinical information
I haven’t used it, but we have had lots of emails advising where we can get support from if needed. I think they have done a good job
The nature of the pandemic has left many feeling isolated and unsupported:
Not at present, recently the RCN has published (figures showing) an alarming number of nurses are off sick or have resigned through mental health reasons and this has made me sad to know that our very skeleton NHS will dwindle even further away
No. I don’t think anybody realises how isolating it is to live alone and work from home if they have not experienced it. I was dumped into a new position during the pandemic and given very little mentoring or orientation. Many colleagues must be very stressed out and have nobody to talk too
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the future of your role or your chosen career path?
The impact of technology will have an effect on some subscribers’ job roles, through elements such as the introduction of onlinebased training and, for some, the pandemic has led them to a new career in healthcare:
Yes, it has (had) some effect, my current role has changed via more technology and for the better
Yes, it certainly has. I am now training as a Medical Receptionist and thoroughly enjoying it. This has really been a mind-blowing 15 months for me whose career had been in the casino industry in London for over 40 years. I also feel very proud to have been working in the vaccine sites and helping out with the COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs
Difficult to say at this point as restrictions are still in place. One of the roles I look after is in-house training which has not been organised in the last year. This has led to courses online for all. It would be nice to see the practice together again at training sessions, but this may be a long way off
We learnt how to change the way we work in a matter of hours/days. Should pandemics or emergency situations happen again in future years, the change to working practices should be a lot easier to adopt. Personally speaking, I have adopted the skills of flexibility and prioritising!
It also looks like the pandemic hasn’t affected some people’s decision to stick with their chosen career path as they plan to stay until retirement:
Not really, I plan to work until retirement age anyway
No, my role or career path have not been affected
COVID-19 hasn’t affected the future of my role or chosen career path as I’m 66 years of age and will be retiring at the end of September 2021. If I was younger I would be staying in primary care but I will have completed 40 years by then
No it hasn't. As a full equity partner I'm here until I retire!” “No, it has not directly affected my role in substance misuse – what I have noticed is the rise in people’s anxiety levels and that clients are displaying anxiety symptoms and mixing them up with withdrawal symptoms so they are thinking themselves into withdrawal (and) then they are using more
This Look Who’s Talking feature has helped us to clarify the often confusing and mixed messages that we read in the media by reporting the true thoughts and feelings of those working on the front line – in their very own words!
For many, the benefits of technology have proven invaluable during the pandemic, and some technology changes have shown such strong, beneficial potential that they could be here to stay. Over half of our subscribers called for better mental health support, highlighting the ongoing mental health issues that health and care professionals face each day.
Some of our subscribers saw changes to their roles and career paths, whilst others pledged to continue as planned until retirement. Over the past 18 months our trainee community has demonstrated immense resilience, and the nation has witnessed and acknowledged the sector’s bravery and determination.
But this is not the end of the story. Here at Blue Stream Academy, we are committed to stand by our trainee community, uniting with professionals across all health and care sectors to promote the recognition that every one of them deserves, not just during the pandemic, but moving forwards too.
Blue Stream Academy has recently released the Blue Voice discussion forum. Blue Voice gives our trainee community a dedicated platform to express their concerns, share their positive experiences, consult with colleagues, and come together through the highs and lows
A Sneek Peek of Blue Voice
We Want to Hear From You!
How has the pandemic affected you and your health and care profession? Get in touch via bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com for a chance to share your thoughts and experiences across our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn channels.
