NHS WellBeing Hubs - Why Not HSE Ones Too?

A recent news feature has drawn my attention to the program of ' Wellbeing Hubs' in the NHS in the UK. The obvious question is why do we not have the same in the HSE structure.

​Over 100,000 people work as healthcare professionals in Ireland who need this type of support from the HSE.

Over 75% of NHS healthcare staff have considered resigning such is the corporate structure that induces burnout and compassion fatigue and moral distress to boot. Add a good dose of bullying and you get logarithmic resignations. More and more medical doctors are leaving the system.

There urgently needs to be a movement in Ireland and the UK of ' Spirituality & Medicine'.  This is a movement of training that is now run in most medical schools in the USA. 

Having delivered the Learning to Exhale Mindfulness program in 10 Irish hospitals to 3,500 we have seen the need for training in self-care and building resilience. However no program can be ethically designed to train staff to tolerate an unhealthy working environment and to tolerate bullying. The structure and workplace also needs to be transformed. 

Burnout in Nursing 

Dr Chiara Dall’Ora, Dr Zoe Ejebu, Professor Jane Ball and Professor Peter Griffiths examined responses from 870 nurses in the UK, looking at the factors affecting their work life.

The evidence found working shifts between eight and 12 hours, low staffing levels and having no choice over shift length were associated with an increased risk of burnout in nursing staff.

​These factors, coupled with rarely or not taking breaks, were also associated with exhaustion.

Conversely, the researchers concluded that staff who have a complete choice over shift patterns were less likely to experience burnout and exhaustion.

Photo by Emily Underworld on Unsplash

NHS Wellbeing Hubs - Why not HSE too?

The staff mental health and wellbeing hubs were set up by the NHS to provide health and social care colleagues rapid access to assessment and local evidence-based mental health services and support where needed.

The hub offer is confidential and free of charge for all health and social care staff.

The hubs can offer a clinical assessment and referral to local services enabling access to support where needed, such as talking therapy or counselling.

This is a separate and confidential from a staff members organisation.

The Wellbeing Hub is open to health and social care staff, from all services and settings. You can self-refer or refer a colleague (with their consent).

The NHS run a number of health and wellbeing programs for staff. 

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Wellbeing Apps for NHS Staff

Apps can be a great way to get fit, find recipes and just make life at times easier. There is a great CBT app that I have been suggesting to people lately. 

By clicking on this text you will be directed to the source page of what wellbeing apps the NHS is currently offering. 
 
When you go to the site you can see there is a selection of six to choose from. 

Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

Learning to Exhale Again 

The Learning to Exhale eight week mindfulness program has now been delivered to 3500 people, in 10 HSE hospitals and to rave reviews.

​If you would like to have the training delivered to your staff, colleagues and organisation contact Ralph by email [email protected]