Dear Colleagues
It will come as no surprise to any of you that we are about to face some hard times. Whether that is at home with friends and family or at work with colleagues and patients. There will be many of you who are scared. There will be many of you who are confused. These are normal emotions to feel at a time like this.
It is OK to not be OK!
-TALK to someone. If you’re struggling, stressed or sad then talk to someone. If you’re in isolation, then video calling can be just as good.
-Look out for each other and your on-call teams. Everyone will be going through their own version of the same fears and stresses that you’ll be going through. Check on your colleagues before you go home.
- In the medical profession we use dark humour a lot to help us process the world around us. Please just think about those around you – it’s not always obvious what they’re dealing with.
-Don’t forget about the basics. Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy. Looking after your physical health is as important as your mental health. They’re two sides of the same coin.
- Take any days off you can to rest and recharge
-Don’t forget your usual ways of accessing support
Speaking to friends and family
Speak to your teams, your registrars and consultants, your Educational Supervisor, your Training Programme Director or Associate Director of Medical Education for Support or equivalent (your PGME will know!)
Speak to us at: help@welldoctors.org
Speak to your GP surgery - they will likely still be open but triaging over the phone
Speak to the BMA Counselling hot line 24/7 on 0330 123 1245 – open to non-BMA members too
Speak to the Practitioner Health Programme crisis text line 24/7 – text NHSPH to 85258
Speak to the Samaritans on 116 123
Speak to the Professional Support and Wellbeing team at your deanery
Speak to someone
“We spend our professional lives organising chaos - that is acute medicine / the medical take! This is going to be more chaos in more parts of our lives, but we just get on with it.
One of my biggest concerns is maintaining compassion throughout all of this. Difficult to do if you’ve wound yourself up tight and have nothing left to give”
Louise Beckham – Acute Med Reg, Severn Deanery
“ …we will change how we act unwillingly when under this immeasurable stress…. we need to start trying to be more kind than usual to counteract this… #civilitysaveslives”
Aless Glover – ST6 Neonatal Reg, Severn Deanery
We’ll see you out and about – stop us for a chat!
The WARDTeam
Useful Links:
Other Sources of Help
SAMARITANS
Telephone: 116 123 (Free 24 hours a day) Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org
Provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.
RETHINK MENTAL ILLNESS ADVICE LINE
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am-4pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@rethink.org
Website: www.rethink.org/about-us/our- mental-health-advice
Provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England and Northern Ireland.
SANELINE
Telephone: 0845 767 8000 (6pm-11pm)
Website: www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/ support/helpline
Saneline is a national mental health helpline providing information and support to people with mental health problems and those who support them.
INFOLINE
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Website: www.mind.org.uk/help/advice_lines
Mind provides confidential mental health information services. With support and understanding, Mind enables people to make informed choices. The Infoline gives information on types of mental distress, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind also has a network of nearly 200 local Mind associations providing local services.
SURVIVORS OF BEREAVEMENT BY SUICIDE (SOBS)
www.uk-sobs.org.uk
Helpline: 0300 111 5065 Every day 9.00 – 21.00
Email: sobs.support@hotmail.com
SOBS offers support for those bereaved or affected by suicide through a helpline answered by trained volunteers who have been bereaved by suicide, and a network of local support groups.
CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE
www.cruse.org.uk
Cruse supports people after the death of someone close. Their trained volunteers offer confidential face-to-face, telephone, email and website support, with both national and local services. They also have services specifically for children and young people.
Helpline: 0844 477 9400
Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk
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