Support and mental health
[One of the benefits of the pandemic has been] better awareness about staff wellbeing within the department, and across the trust…better openness amongst staff about some of those challenges…time will tell if this culture can be sustained
Consultant nephrologist, UK
What areas of service delivery changed during the pandemic?
What areas will you keep after the crisis?
How did you ensure your clients were able to access psychological services?
What was your experience of the various platforms used to deliver virtual sessions?
As well as working therapeutically with clients, how many of you provided support to staff working within your dept or trust? And what did this look like?
Normalising our responses in a crisis is important when so much is unknown and uncertain. We can only control how we individually react, think and behave in any given moment.
Heightened anxiety was a common and understandable emotion reported by many clients at the beginning and easing of shielding and reported by staff who were seeing their patients and colleagues directly affected by Covid 19. Clients are now reporting an increase in depressive symptoms, following 4-6 months of shielding, social isolation, and latterly work related and financial distress. Many clients continue to express a reluctance to attend hospital appointments, favouring to attend their local GP practises for bloods; and others are fearful of hospital admissions even when medical attention is necessary.
Psychological practitioners worked flexibly and creatively to deliver services to both their existing and new client referrals and their colleagues. Predominantly working from home, creating neutral confidential workspaces; delivering services using phone or virtual methods.
Do you have experience of receiving or providing counselling/psychotherapy/psychology during COVID-19?
What was the outcome for you?
Add your voice to this learning community!
Be it a personal reflection, an innovation you are proud of or something you have learnt, get in touch by completing this short and easy form, or email your story in your own words to kquip@renalregistry.nhs.uk.
The following resources were pulled together by staff at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Coping with stress of coronavirus
- Psychology tools: Living with uncertainty guide
- Understanding psychological wellbeing at work
- Managing mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers during covid-19 pandemic
- Apps and online resources
Shared learning
- COVID-19 Pandemic effects on Renal Dialysis patients in 2020, Amanda Bevin, Renal Counselor, Kent and Canterbury Hospital
- Managing Anxiety during the Covid-19 Pandemic, Amanda Bevin, Renal Counselor, Kent and Canterbury Hospital
- Using CFT’s Three Circles During COVID-19, Dr Theresa Dahm
- FACE COVID – How To Respond Effectively To The Corona Crisis – Dr Russ Harris