NHS staff will need long-term support to cope with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic

It is concerned that a current lack of access to basic support is already causing significant damage to their mental and physical health. As restrictions across the four nations are relaxed or removed completely, and the Omicron wave subsides, it is imperative that the ongoing needs of healthcare staff are not forgotten in a rush to put the pandemic behind us. Evidence shows that people do not begin to process the trauma they have experienced until after it has passed, meaning they need support long after the acute 'crisis' is over. 

The society is calling for an urgent NHS staff wellbeing strategy, with direct ministerial involvement in the development of staff support in England, such is the case in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This will ensure that this support is given on a longer term basis and is consistent across all nations and areas.

While some Trusts have excellent support systems in place, there is variability and inconsistency across the NHS. Drawing on interviews with acute care staff, and their own experiences, some psychologists are highlighting the lack of basic support for staff in places, including proper rest-rooms, access to hot meals and drinks, and cancelling of some annual leave requests. This shows the need for a UK-wide approach that learns from best-practice and rolls it out across the board.

Examples of this good practice include:

• Hospitals and workplaces reviewing working conditions to ensure that staff have their basic needs for rest, nutrition and support provided
• A commitment to prioritise annual leave for staff who have previously had leave cancelled
• Fully funded and evidence-based staff support systems with a long-term commitment to supporting staff wellbeing
• Proper workforce planning with staff wellbeing at its heart

Dr Roman Raczka, chair of the BPS' Division of Clinical Psychology, said:

"While the removal of Covid-19 restrictions may signal a 'return to normal' for some, for NHS staff the reality is very different. The psychological evidence tells us that, as the acute phase of the pandemic hopefully draws to an end, the need for staff support actually grows as people begin to reflect on what they have been through and experienced during the last two years.

We are consistently hearing from our members who are supporting staff that they are exhausted, and there is a lack of access to basic support and facilities such as rest-rooms and the chance to take their holidays. The acute trauma of dealing with Covid has come against the backdrop of existing staffing shortages and a depleted and demoralised workforce. NHS staff have risen to the challenge brilliantly over the last two years, but at significant personal health costs.

This issue is not going away, and the impact will only truly be felt as staff begin to process what they have been through, while dealing with a growing backlog of patients needing treatment and support. This issue needs to be a priority for the government to enable the health service to rise to the huge challenges that lie ahead. We urge the government not to allow its optimism this spring to lead to complacency and lack of action to properly support staff across all areas of the NHS."

First-hand quotes collected from a study of UK frontline doctors specialising in Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, or Intensive Care, illustrate the pressure that NHS staff are under, and the challenges they are facing:

"It's just I think the word resilient should never be used because it's just become a swear word, . . . you're upset about the fact that you can't manage your childcare, and your shift and your pay has been cut . . . what you need is some resilience training. It just makes us all so angry.

How are we supposed to get protected time in the context of the NHS being under unprecedented pressure, to do things that are good for our wellbeing?"

"I found it very easy to just think to myself I've just got to get on with this, it's normal to be feeling really anxious and to not be sleeping. I know that burnout is a concept that exists but that can't be happening to me."