Fronting up to the problems: what can be done to improve the wellbeing of NHS staff?
The NHS is not in a position where it can lose staff, but many workers in the health service have faced almost unimaginable difficulties during the pandemic. How worried should we be about NHS staff health and wellbeing? This long read looks at how bad the situation is and what can be done to improve things.
Source: The King’s Fund Health Management and Policy Alert
Caring for patients and service users during the Covid-19 pandemic has taken an enormous toll on NHS and social care staff. This report, part of the NHS Reset campaign, considers key factors needed for the NHS to provide the most effective environment to retain – and sustain – staff over the weeks and months ahead.
The NHS Confederation report sets out a series of actions needed to protect staff health and wellbeing in the recovery phase of the pandemic, splitting the recovery into 5 aspects:
The role of NHS leaders in reducing mental health stigma and creating mentally healthy cultures
Source: The King’s Fund; Health Management and Policy Alert
This guide, funded by the British Medical Association and posted on the Mental Health at Work website, aims to provide practical advice, hints and tips to help NHS leaders and line managers to create mentally healthy cultures and support better mental health. It includes information about mental health stigmas, and how to break them down. It is the first of a series of resources aimed at NHS leaders, managers and champions.
Frontline colleagues across health and care sectors are being urged to get a flu vaccination as early as possible. The health service is aiming for every single member of eligible staff to get a flu vaccine this year.
Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England said;
“Every year we urge our colleagues to protect themselves, their families and their patients by taking up the free flu jab, and every year more and more do – but this year’s call is the most vital we have ever made.
“The flu has a serious impact on the health of thousands of people every winter, and with the added risk of Covid-19 this year the NHS needs as many of its staff as possible to be fighting fit over the coming months.
“And even more importantly, just as we are making every effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in our hospitals, so we must also do the same for flu. Getting a vaccine is the single most effective way every member of our staff can contribute to this.”
NHS staff given free access to mental health apps amid COVID-19 outbreak
NHS staff have been granted free access to mental health apps until December 2020 as a measure of supporting their health and well-being whilst tackling the coronavirus.