One year ago today, the Devon Wellbeing Hub launched to support healthcare, social care and police staff impacted by COVID-19.
The Hub is one of 40 NHS mental health and wellbeing hubs that was set up across the country, funded by NHS England, in response to the impact of COVID-19. It is designed to be a place where someone concerned about their wellbeing can come, unpick their needs and be supported to get to the right services quickly. The service is free, completely confidential and can help with a range of issues, whether they’re related to the pandemic or not.
Beth Fisher, Clinical and Operational Manager at the Devon Wellbeing Hub, said: “We are a team made up of trained NHS staff, including Clinical Psychologists, Colleague Wellbeing Practitioners and Chaplains, who are here to help colleagues while they care for others.
“We have received over 400 individual referrals since our launch at the end of March 2021, and have worked with many teams across the Devon System to support their wellbeing through workshops and reflective practice.
“While our service was established in response to COVID-19, we see people and work with teams for a wide variety of reasons, not all directly related to the pandemic. We know there are many ongoing challenges for our colleagues working in health and social care and the police, and the impact of COVID-19 is currently very significant. We hope to continue to develop our service further over the next year and make sure it is accessible to all our colleagues who would like support with their wellbeing. If you would like to speak with one of our team about your wellbeing, or think your team could benefit from a wellbeing workshop, please do get in touch.”
Speaking about their experience of the Hub, one colleague said: “I feel like the Hub gave me the boost I needed at a critical time so that I could help myself rather than spiral and go down another path. I felt listened to, valued and that my issues were not uncommon. Reassurance and guidance have helped me through thanks to the Hub.”
The Hub has two main offers for individuals and for teams who are struggling:
Individual support
Individuals will be offered a 1:1 telephone or video call for a wellbeing assessment appointment lasting for around 45 minutes. A qualified clinician will listen to the individual’s worries and work with them to create a Colleague Wellbeing Plan, noting down clear next steps and further information on services and support available.
Team support
The Hub also offers support for teams, giving them the opportunity to think about their collective wellbeing. This is especially important given the increased working pressures of the last two years. Referrals can be made by a team manager and one of the Hub’s psychologists/psychotherapists will be in touch to offer an initial meeting with a view to facilitating some workshops or reflective groups. The aim is to offer the team an intervention that is bespoke to their collective needs.
Get in touch
Getting support from the Devon Wellbeing Hub is simple. If you work in healthcare, social care or the police and are struggling with any aspect of your wellbeing, please get in touch by emailing dpt.devonwellbeing@nhs.net or by calling 0300 303 5455. You can also fill out the simple referral form on the Devon Wellbeing Hub website.
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