This week East Lancashire Hospitals has launched a mental health support campaign specifically for colleagues which says simply: ‘I Know You’re Not OK, Let’s Talk’.
There will be lots of similar messages across all media in the next few weeks as we approach Christmas and New Year and what is often a terribly difficult and emotional time for many people – but we were keen to reach out as a work family and make sure our teams, across all services and settings, are especially supported.
With everything they do for our communities, for each other and for their own families, it seems like checking they’re OK and reminding them of the help we have available for them too is the very least we can do.
It’s important that we recognise that people working across the NHS and in the wider health and social care sectors continue to take on huge pressure every day and night as they care for myriad patients and their families in their moment of need.
It is emotionally and physically exhausting and comes after many of the ELHT team worked flat out through the intense period of the pandemic with precious little chance to rest, reflect or recover at all.
Just acknowledging this reality will be a positive step for most colleagues and I am hoping it will create momentum for people to talk about how they are, as well as providing details of the comprehensive programme of support that is in place for anyone who needs extra help.
The idea came from members of the Trust’s Staff Mental Health Network – which is made up of a range of colleagues who have either suffered from related issues themselves or perhaps have a lived experience or interest in the topic which motivates them to get more involved and help.
The group, which is just one of many staff networks we have at ELHT, carried out a survey earlier in the year to gauge how people were doing, what they needed and, most importantly, how they felt.
As part of the feedback on the results, the group shared an anonymous audio clip of a colleague who was desperate to stay in work and do her job, but felt she was struggling and needed more help. Her account was honest and raw. She spoke openly about how she had not recovered from the Covid response but was now facing pressure at levels she had never known in the NHS before. This includes the huge demand on services, the burgeoning, anxiety-inducing waiting lists and struggles around new ways of working, virtually and digitally, which were creating stress.
There were other messages too – 56 per cent of colleagues who responded said their mental health was negatively impacting their life and, although two thirds recognised there was support in place, far fewer felt it was easy to talk about at work.
This hidden nature and perceived stigma of talking about mental health is such a prevailing and tricky issue. There are those that subscribe to the ‘brave face’ approach, who put on a smile and do their best to pretend everything is OK, no matter what is unfolding. I know this is writ large through ELHT where our ‘can do’ approach is very much a part of who we are and like to be. There are also those who find throwing themselves into work is therapy in itself, brushing away worries, concerns or feelings and focusing instead on what needs to be done as a way to cope.
I think there is merit in both of these methods and I recognise how the simple act of getting up and achieving a day’s work can be nourishment for the mind and soul at times. It’s understandable why people cling to routine and familiarity when things get tough, but I absolutely do want people to know that they can speak up and share their feelings, if they want to. That there will be no judgement or consequence, that there is help available and they don’t need to soldier on alone.
I mentioned this on our internal colleague briefing on Tuesday, where people can listen in live, watch back later and ask questions openly about topics we’re covering at any time. In the chat someone rightly shared how we should always ask colleagues ‘how are you?’ and be clear the question isn’t related just to work.
To this point, the network’s survey results showed wellbeing conversations with managers were highly rated by respondents. I know this is something the Trust has actively encouraged – so much so that in appraisals colleagues are asked to record when their last wellbeing conversation was – but there is always more we can do. Some people also shared how difficult it could be to talk to a manager about mental health, how some managers felt unequipped about how best to help and how it could be difficult to get the time off to access support with everything else that is going on.
All this I feel certain we can improve on and we are actively looking at what additional support can be provided to managers right now, to help them support teams more effectively as well as themselves. This is known as Project M and we’re scoping it out at the moment. The Trust also has a range of self-help support available including videos, apps and content which covers a wide range of topics including resilience, meditation, sleep and financial wellbeing.
One example of a simple intervention or coping technique I want to share is from Tuesday’s brief when we asked Janet Gray from the ‘TODI’ team (Transformation, Organisation Development and Inclusion) to do a two-minute mini meditation and mindfulness session for everyone.
The aim was clear: that when you’re at work and it’s feeling stressful or overwhelming it can be useful to take action to help to decompress your mind and relax. This could be a walk around the block or up to the restaurant for a coffee with a friend. Different things will resonate with different people and their needs – but Janet’s session was universally well received by those watching who said that they really appreciated and recognised the power of the experience. Thank you Janet – broadcasting live to the Trust can be nerve racking but it really was a wonderful part of the day.
So, as we approach Christmas, continue to support huge numbers of people coming into urgent and emergency care, attempt to balance a seemingly impossible budget, prepare for more industrial action amongst clinical colleagues and wrestle with unprecedented waiting lists – let me offer a gentle reminder that ELHT is full of amazing people doing amazing things every day.
If you need help we are here – whether you’re a patient or a colleague.
I am keen to support an open and honest culture here at the Trust, where no one is judged or disadvantaged for any reason, including mental health. If you are struggling, please reach out. The most important thing is to know there is support available for you. We are here.
Martin