PLANS FOR PROTECTION | NHS FRONTLINE
It’s OK not to be OK.. Supporting Mental Health NHS Haematology Specialist Saqib Farooq writes from his Castor home.
According to data from the Office of National Statistics people experiencing depression in the UK has doubled from the previous year, with one in four reporting symptoms of depression after nearly a year of lockdown.
The mental wellbeing of workers has become a key issue during the coronavirus pandemic. Whether furloughed, working from home or facing new lockdown conditions, many of us are finding that the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic is taking a toll on our mental wellbeing. According to data from the Office of National Statistics people experiencing depression in the UK has doubled from the previous year, with one in four reporting symptoms of depression after nearly a year of lockdown. This has put onus on employers to take stock of the mental wellbeing of their staff and find ways to help employees at all levels in an organisation through what is, for most, a difficult time. My own organisation, the NHS, is performing so far beyond what we consider normal at the moment it’s sometimes easy to forget that ‘health’ is what we do for ourselves too. With this in mind, I asked a number of employers, how they are helping staff maintain their wellbeing during the pandemic and what support plan they have in place for those who need it most. The most impressive response and plan was, as précised below, from our Peterborough City Council: At the outset of the first lockdown PCC set up a health & wellbeing focus group (across Peterborough and Cambs County councils) to focus on our staff. We had in place external training for all staff on Mental Health & Wellbeing with a view to provide advice, guidance and training on what we are (and aren’t) in personal control of and how we can help ourselves. This training was also set up for Members too. We undertook immediate and regular all-staff surveys to understand how people felt about themselves mentally and physically, their home-work situations
and equipment, coping with technology use and potential isolation issues and as a result put in place an action plan to address themes coming through - this has been ongoing throughout the pandemic. We augmented these communications further with general wellbeing and another around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We issue twice-weekly hints and tips with links to other activities taking place nationally i.e. Dry January or Mental Health Awareness Day to strengthen the messages we send. We set up a monthly wellbeing drop-in hour, again with specific themes (general hints & tips and signposting to supportive information; back care awareness and guidance; an hour to be happy - focused also on relaxation, exercise and alcohol awareness in December) - all of this action has been very positively received by staff and members, especially those home-schooling their children or caring for elderly relatives and other domestic circumstances impacting upon their daily life. More generally, the council’s website has FAQ's regularly updated as government guidance changes in reaction to the issues ongoing, so as to remain relevant and a go to place for information. All this and much more besides points to an organisation which cares deeply and proactively about its people, their health and well-being and state of mind during this dreadful time. Nationally, as part of its campaign to address this mental health crisis, Mind has created an online coronavirus workplace hub with advice on supporting staff, managing furloughs and redundancies, team bonding and building closeness - especially when people are not in the workplace. If you are facing any of these issues or difficulties, please do not hesitate to reach out for help. It is perfectly ok not to be ‘OK’.
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