The COVID-19 pandemic is hugely disrupting our usual lives and therefore can greatly impact upon our wellbeing. Click here to view our COVID-19 page with all dedicated information and resources.
In order to ensure the health and social care system is delivering high quality, dependable and valuable services, it is important we develop a productive and resilient workforce.
To allow the workforce to continue delivering high quality, consistent services, it is important that staff resilience is developed to protect their mental and physical health and wellbeing.
The resources on this page offer guidance and advice on how you can look after your own wellbeing and that of your staff. There is always help and support available and no one should suffer in silence.
Wakefield ‘Safe Space’
Wakefield Safe Space, which has been based in The Arthouse on Drury Lane, Wakefield has moved to Caduceus House, Upper Warrengate, Wakefield, WF1 4JZ . The premises is run by the local charity Wakefield and District Health and Community Support.
Sophie Hailwood, Operations Director, Touchstone said: “Touchstone are very excited about the move to Caduceus House, Upper Warrengate.
Wakefield Safe Space, originally set up in 2020, was led by the local NHS and mental health alliance and provided by a partnership between Touchstone, Spectrum People and Gasped. Wakefield Safe Space provides a safe place for people in crisis to go and to prevent avoidable attendances at A&E.
Wakefield Safe Space is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6pm-12am and is open to anyone aged 16 plus, experiencing or approaching crisis who live in Wakefield District (you don’t need to be registered with a GP service). They provide one to one face to face support, support via telephone and Zoom, group social activities, support for attendees to develop safety plans and also create “wellbeing boxes” to aid in self-distraction and de-escalation at home.
People can either self-refer or be referred in by calling 07776 962815, they can also call into the venue to complete a referral form so that an appointment can be made.
‘Check in’ Anti Staff Suicide Campaign
The West Yorkshire & Harrogate Health and Care Partnership are leading a new campaign aiming to reduce staff suicide and normalise conversations around suicide and mental health. This campaign aims to act as a reminder for us to check in with our colleagues and ourselves to help reduce staff suicide and promote a wellbeing culture. The flyer can be found here.
A vast variety of resources and information on support available, can now be found on the Check-in website, which can be accessed here. This includes resources to help you support yourself as well as your colleagues.
Zero Suicide Alliance also provide a range of awareness training options, which provide a better understanding of the signs to look out for and the skills required to approach someone who is struggling, whether that be through social isolation or suicidal thoughts. To access this training, please visit the ZSA website here.
Resources to support your wellbeing
Working in health and social care can sometimes be stressful and challenging and it is vital that you look after your own wellbeing, which includes both your mental and physical health, to ensure you stay healthy and avoid burnout.
- Information on the Connecting Care+ wellbeing offer can be found here.
- Skills for Care have created a guide to help you build your own resilience, health and wellbeing.
- This NHS toolkit can help you identify how you are feeling and know when to seek support.
- Many wellbeing apps are freely available for health and care staff during 2021 and more information on these apps and how to access them can be found here.
- The NHS have created a Health and Wellbeing brochure specifically for Primary Care staff detailing available support
- Self help leaflets are available here on a variety of topics impacting wellbeing, including depression and low mood, health anxiety, stress and panic.
- The NHS have information available about mindfulness and how it can help your mental wellbeing.
- This mood self-assessment can help you better understand how you have been feeling recently so you can better identify how to help yourself.
- Jaimee Wylam, a Public Health Registrar, has compiled a list of the top free wellbeing resources available to trainees
- The NHS has a list of stress busting tips.
- Action for Happiness have released their ‘New Ways November’ calendar, with daily actions to encourage you to try something new
- Some tips for getting started with exercise and walking for health are available here.
- HEE North East & Yorkshire have released a bulletin with collated links to other regional health and wellbeing resources, which can be found here.
Support with maintaining your physical wellbeing when working from home
The Health and Safety Executive has released a short but informative video providing guidance on setting up your home workstation, including maintaining the correct posture.
This simple diagram shows good practice information for working from home.
Some simple tips for reducing the risk of injury while working from home:
- Break up longs spells of work with regular breaks (ideally at least 10 minutes every hour) or changes in activity
- Ensure you try and maintain correct posture while sitting at a home workstation and avoid awkward, static positions by changing position regularly
- Regularly get up and move around, perhaps try some simple at home stretching exercises every day
- Help avoid fatigue by changing your focus and blinking from time to time
This one minute video from Mind gives 5 tips on getting moving and improving your mood.
The NHS have also created some video guides on both fitness studio exercises and equipment free 10 minute workouts to help you stay active.
Through the Better Health Campaign, Diabetes UK have developed an online tool to allow you to calculate your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. If you think you may be at risk, take the free test and you may be eligible for the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Stopping smoking can greatly boost your health and reduce your risk of smoking related illnesses. If you have decided you want to quit smoking, you can find support through your local Smokefree service and develop your own tailored plan to quit.
Supporting the psychosocial needs of the care home workforce
The Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Network’s website has a dedicated page with resources to help support the psychological needs of the Care Home workforce during Covid-19, which can be accessed here.
The Health Psychology Exchange facilitated a webinar on the 11th of June on what is known about the psychological needs of the care home workforce during Covid-19. This included evidence from WHO, the British Psychological Society and Support the Workers. A freely accessible recording of this webinar can be accessed here.
The HPX have also created 6 guides for use during the pandemic to assist with maintaining care home staff wellbeing. These are focussed on:
- Physical wellbeing
- Opportunities to de-compress
- Psychological first aid
- Perceived safety
- Ethical decision making
- Leadership and communication
The British Psychological Society have produced guidance on death and grieving in a care home during Covid-19.
If you‘re struggling, please don’t be afraid to ask for help
There are a multitude of support services available to help you:
- NHS staff can call the free NHS Mental Health Helpline on 0800 069 6222 (7:00am-11:pm, 7 days a week) or text FRONTLINE to 85258 for 24/7 support
- If you are struggling with your mental health, or supporting someone who is, and would like to receive support, you can call SANEline on 07894 967 708 and leave your first name and contact number and a professional or senior volunteer will call you back as soon as practicable.
- If you are in crisis and need urgent support, contact the Samaritans free on 116 123
- If you have experienced loss through work, you can contact the confidential bereavement support line operated by Hospice UK on 0300 303 4434 (8am-8pm, 7 days a week)
- The CALM zone offers mental health support for anyone identifying as male on 0800 585858 (5pm-12am every day), on webchat or via the Men’s Health Forum
- If you are under 25 you can access mental health support from Mix by calling 0808 808 4994 (Sunday – Friday 2pm-11pm), requesting support on their website or using their crisis text messenger service.
- Papyrus offer confidential support to people under 35 considering suicide. Call their Hopelink on 0800 068 4141 (9am-12am every day) or text 07860 039967
- Frontline NHS staff, those working in residential settings caring for patients with Covid-19 and those who have been bereaved during the pandemic, can refer themselves to the ACC for crisis counselling sessions. More information is available here.
Wellbeing and support audio guides and podcasts
Audio guides can be great, portable resources to help you support your mental health no matter where you are.
The NHS has created a series of mental wellbeing audio guides with topics including managing anxiety, improving low mood and overcoming sleep problems. Jack also create audio guides to help everyone maintain their wellbeing.
The WY&H Health and Care Partnership have also produced a series of podcasts titled ‘Can you hear me?’ to give a voice to the diverse talent working to improve health and care in WY&H, presented by their Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff network.
Wellbeing webinars and virtual sessions
Working in these unprecedented times can greatly impact our mental and physical health and HEE Yorkshire & Humber are offering the following free webinar to help support staff:
Tools for Tough Times – This 60-minute session will introduce an invaluable set of tools that individuals and teams can use to:
- Recognise, validate and process feelings in the here and now
- Anticipate and gather resources in an uncertain and escalating crisis
- Sustain emotional energy during this extremely challenging situation
You will leave this session, facilitated by Edmund Cross Facilitation Development Training, equipped with essential skills and knowledge which will benefit you in your personal and professional lives. There are not currently any confirmed future dates for the sessions, but for more information please email educationevents.yh@hee.nhs.uk
Guidance for organisations and leaders to support staff wellbeing
Working in health and social care can sometimes be stressful and high pressured. Therefore, organisations, leaders and managers have a great role to play in supporting the wellbeing of staff and ensuring they have a positive, caring and respectful working environment.
These resources may help you to support your staff and ensure their wellbeing is considered in working practices.
Resources for supporting our diverse workforce
Skills for Care have developed a series of webinars to explore and debate support for the BAME social care workforce. 4 virtual events were held in total with each focussing on a different topic and with different panel members from across health and social care:
- Supportive leadership during COVID-19
- Building alliances to support BAME staff
- Mental well-being and the workforce
- Collaborations and supportive networks within organisations
The WY&H Health and Care Partnership have also produced a series of podcasts titled ‘Can you hear me?’ to give a voice to the diverse talent working to improve health and care in WY&H, presented by their Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff network. The latest episode, plus the rest of the series can be found here.
Domestic abuse support
Domestic abuse includes any type of violent, threatening or controlling behaviour and can happen regardless of race, gender or sexuality. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or are worried about your own behaviour, there is always support available.
Details on the Home Office’s new Ask for ANI scheme can be found here and here.
Women’s Aid have produced Safety Advise for Survivors during COVID-19.
The Government have also released specific guidance on how you can get support during COVID-19 if you are suffering from domestic abuse.
If you are concerned that you yourself are a domestic abuse perpetrator and are hurting others around you, Respect can help support you to stop and provide domestic abuse perpetrator programmes.
Multiple helplines are also available to support you:
- National domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (women only)
- Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327 (men only)
- Broken Rainbow: 0300 999 5428 (LGBTQ+ adults and young people)
- Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999 (Support for rape survivors and sexual violence victims)
- IDAS: 03000 110110 (A Barnsley and North Yorkshire charity providing free Webchat and telephone support)
- Support Line: 01708 765 200 (Confidential counselling and emotional support for adults and children)
- Aanchal Women’s aid: 08454 512 547 (Confidential, multi-lingual support service for South Asian Women)
Women’s Aid also have an anonymous Survivor’s Forum.
If you are facing immediate danger, try to lock yourself in a room and call 999. If you call from a mobile phone and it is not safe for you to speak, call 999 and then press 55 which will alert the Police force and allow them to assist you.
