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Staff Support and Wellbeing

COVID-19

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In NHS Forth Valley we care about the health and wellbeing of our people. Our staff and colleagues continue to work  in very challenging and unpredictable times. It is therefore more important than ever that we look after ourselves and each other. 

Small Acts of Kindness

This section provides details of a wide range of local and national information, support and listening services available to all staff. However, it is also important to remember some of the smaller, basic things we can all to help us feel better at work. For example, taking regular breaks, even for just a short time, is important to take some time out of your ward, department or office. Taking a few minutes to ask a colleague how they are feeling, being kind to yourself and others, smiling at someone you pass on the corridor, making someone a cup of tea and other small random acts of kindness can all make a big difference. For more practical tips and advice to clear your head, improve your mood and connect with others visit the Clear Your Head website.

Wellbeing Resources

A wide range of resources are available to support yourself, your staff, teams and colleagues – visit the Wellbeing Resources page for more details.

National Wellbeing Hub

The National Wellbeing Hub provides a wide range of advice and resources for health and care staff, carers, volunteers and their families to access relevant support when they need it. You can access the National Wellbeing Hub here or contact the Wellbeing Helpline on 0800 111 4191.

Psychological First Aid

Psychological First Aid via telephone can be accessed directly by phoning the National Wellbeing Helpline for Staff 0800 111 4191.

Staff can have 3 sessions by phone for support and then referred on locally if they need more.

You can also access Psychological First Aid within NHS Forth Valley via referral from your GP.

Mental Health Workforce Service

All regulated NHS and care staff working as part of the Scottish workforce can access to a new specialist service offering confidential mental health assessment and treatment. The Workforce Specialist Service is delivered by experts with experience in treating a range of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression or addiction, with a focus on the impact this may have on a person’s work.

You can find out more and how to access the service here or you can email prac.health@nhs.net or call 0300 0303 300. (Monday – Friday 8am-8pm, Sat 8-2pm)

Keep Well

Keep well NHS Forth Valley are currently offering confidential support through these challenging times for NHS staff who are working and NHS staff shielding, as well as associated services e.g. Serco. We will provide support from our Life Coaches, Jackie and Janet, including our Occupational Therapist, Pat. They have extensive experience supporting and guiding people through challenging life events, who may be experiencing increased levels of stress.

We can tailor our support to suit your needs and can either offer 1-1 telephone support or if you prefer we can arrange a “Near Me” face to face video call. Our service can also signpost you to other services to support your current situation.

To access this support, please telephone or text using the numbers below:

  • Jackie: 07909002795
  • Janet: 07776452563
  • Pat: 07929866506

Staff Wellbeing During a Pandemic & Beyond

There are a number of resources available to support wellbeing, which apply during a crisis and beyond. These are freely available and can be used by individuals or within peer groups to support each other. Help and support is out there and it is not a sign of failing or weakness to access this.

An overview of some of the available resources to support wellbeing aimed at health and social care staff can be found here.

Staff Wellbeing webinars

The aim of the Focus on Wellbeing Programme is to empower and encourage health and social care staff and unpaid carers to enhance self-care and personal resilience.

The programme content is linked to the range of resources available on the National Wellbeing Hub.

Stirling University Corporate Membership

NHS Forth Valley is part of the Stirling University corporate membership scheme. This membership subscription gives you full access to the sports facilities at a reduced cost per month.

Scottish Ballet

Scottish Ballet has partnered with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government to deliver online workshops to help Coronavirus frontline workers with mental wellbeing.

Health at Hand opens NHS Scotland’s Focus on Wellbeing programme, with more than 1100 staff signed up to participate in the sessions.

The programme aims to energise staff and alleviate the pressures that frontline workers face, through movement and breath.

Addressing the physical and mental stress for those working in the NHS and social care services, Scottish Ballet has created a series of 10-minute videos titled Energise, Rejuvenate, Relaxation (for the start, middle and end of shifts, respectively).

For staff experiencing trauma and more stressful situations, a longer, 20-minute Restore session is available.

Coaching

Staff in all areas within NHS Forth Valley can access coaching. We have accredited coaches who can provide a confidential safe space and an opportunity where you have time to think and reflect on your thoughts and feelings. Coaching can support you with your health and wellbeing to increase resourcefulness and resilience in times of stress. Coaching can be face-to-face or remotely by phone, or video conference.

If you are interested in having a coach, please email margaret.kerr4@nhs.scot or phone 0785 444 7015.

External online coaches can also be accessed via the National Wellbeing Hub, which is supported by NES. To find out more here.

Coaching for Wellbeing – free coaching service open to all working in health and social care – more sessions available.

Project Lift

If you want to be more active in caring for your health and wellbeing during Covid-19, but are not sure what to focus on who to ask for support then a wellbeing coach could help. It could help you make the most of your strengths during this time, preserve your energy as much as possible and could also help in supporting your team or colleagues.

If interested you may want to explore taking up one of the free coaching options in the new Coaching for Wellbeing service available now. Designed specifically to support all health and social services staff in Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic, this is open to anyone at any level and in any role in the system.

To find out more and register for this free coaching for wellbeing service, access the coaching platform and find out more.

Virtual Staff Room

The Virtual Staff Room (VSR) is a space for you to spend time with colleagues online while we can’t connect in person. This has been running for staff who were in the shielding group throughout the pandemic, but we would like to invite any colleagues who are at increased risk of covid and would like to meet peers who are facing similar challenges to join us.

We meet on a Thursday evening at 7pm, and there is also an MS teams site which you can join where we can chat, share problems and solutions and support one another.

How do I join in?

If you would like to join one of the sessions in the Virtual Staff Room, click on the link below which will open the channel in MS Teams. When the session opens, a button will come up to join the meeting, click on this and you will be able to join the session remotely.

To join the MS Teams page, please email sarah.miller25@nhs.scot or Johnny.keenan@nhs.scot.

Medical Peer support

Forth Valley Medical Peer Support Network provides peer support for non training grade secondary care doctors working in NHS Forth Valley (e.g. Consultant, Staff grade, Associate Specialist, Specialty Doctor). It is provided by a group of trained senior Doctors who are willing to listen to and talk with a colleague seeking peer support. The conversation is confidential and no records are kept. You can find more information about the service, who the Peer Supporters are and how to contact your chosen Peer Supporter on the Medical Peer Support page of the staff intranet.

Peer Support Service for Doctors-in-Training (DiT)

We have our very own peer support service for doctors-in-training. This service aims to provide a non-judgemental listening ear if you are having problems or experiencing tough situations in life. We also highlight resources or services that might be helpful. This service is completely confidential.

There is a peer support account (fv.DiTsupport@nhs.scot) you can email which can only be accessed by the peer supporters.

Alternatively, you can choose to email us individually.  One of us will get in touch with you within 48-72 hours, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. We can then arrange to meet in person or talk over the phone.

Menopause Awareness

The menopause matters for us all. In this collection of short videos, Ruth Devlin aims to encourage open discussion of the menopause, and provide information for anyone wanting to find out more. Try the new resource here.

Spiritual Care and Support

The Spiritual Care Service provides a safe and confidential space for staff to talk about what’s going on for them at moment – either by phone or face-to-face in the spiritual care centre at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. To access support, please phone the spiritual care office on 01324 566071 during office hours or email fv.spiritualcare@nhs.scot.

Step on Stress

Step on Stress is pre-recorded and live-streamed over 3-weeks. Each session lasts approximately one hour. Step on Stress helps attendees to understand and manage stress in the body, manage thoughts and manage behaviour. The course is accompanied by workbooks to support the learning. Visit www.bookwhen.com/fvstress for dates and times of live-streamed courses.

We anticipate a return to face-to-face delivery in the coming weeks. Please check Bookwhen for details.

Accessing Support

We recognise that on occasion staff may need to access support outwith their own health board. If you think this would be helpful or applies to you please discuss this in the first instance with Robert Clark, Employee Director by email at robert.clark4@nhs.scot or phone on 0773 679 9350, or Elaine Bell Associate Director of HR at elaine.bell@nhs.scot.

Trade Unions and Professional Bodies

Many Trade Unions and Professional Bodies are offering additional support resources and services at this time. Contact them to find out what is available.

National

  • Royal College of Nursing – 0345 772 6100
  • Royal College of Midwives – 0300 303 0444
  • Unite the Union – contact for Forth Valley is Sandy Smart, Regional Officer – 01315569676/07810157927
  • UNISON – membershipassistancescotland@unison.co.uk
  • British Dietetic Association – 0121 200 8080
    (British Dietetic Association,  3rd Floor Interchange Place, 151-165 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2TA)

Local

Scottish Government Toolkit

Financial Difficulties

Please remember if you are experiencing financial hardship yourself then you can also get support from Scotland’s Citizens Advice helpline. You can find out information about accessing your local money advice service through the local authority in which you reside by checking out your council website.

The National Wellbeing Hub also has financial advice on their website to help cope with money worries at home.

Domestic Abuse

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic abuse or other forms of violence and control at home, support and services are still available and operating.

If you don’t feel safe at home, you should visit the National Wellbeing Hub for a list of useful contact numbers and resources.

Please also see our policy on Gender-Based Violence.

Covid-19 Staff Wellbeing Surveys

A number of staff wellbeing and experience studies have taken place across the UK during the pandemic. Details of any future studies or research projects will be published here and shared on the staff intranet.

NHS Forth Valley Staff Support and Wellbeing Group

A group has been created to oversee the development of services and support for staff across NHS Forth Valley. If you have any questions or want to find out more about the group contact Marian Smith, PA to Director of HR, on 01786 457275 or email marian.smith@nhs.scot

In an Emergency call 999 for health advice and reassurance call NHS24 on 111.
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