International efforts have been made to develop appropriate interventions to support the mental health needs of healthcare professionals in response to COVID-19. However, fewer staff have accessed these than expected, despite experiencing elevated levels of mental distress since the onset of the pandemic. Consequently, we aimed to examine the barriers and enablers for healthcare professionals in accessing interventions offered by a Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub.
From the outset the West Yorkshire Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub has worked to be as accessible as possible to everyone working in health and care in West Yorkshire – including volunteers. Working with an expert team at the University of Leeds, this recently published article builds upon the existing literature and summarises what our staff and volunteers have told us is important to shape the Hub.
The inclusion of a confidential self-referral form is an example of removing as many barriers to seeking and obtaining care as possible. We know that managers and leaders can be the biggest facilitators or challenges to accessing support, so please read the article, visit the Hub website and understand what your role is in supporting staff to access the support they need now more than ever.
