Coventry & Warwickshire COVID-19 Portal

Thank you so much for your work in the WN COVID Hot Hub. 

We are aware that working in a hot hub is an extremely unusual situation and that you may be affected by your experience. It might be helpful to talk through your experience with the other doctor that you are working with during your shift at the end of your session to debrief. If you would like to discuss your experience further consider discussing with your colleagues at your practice, your appraiser or your normal support network for example your first five group. If you feel you need to speak to a trained professional, please do consider contacting NHS Practitioner Health. 

Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists across England with mental illness and addiction problems, who are working or looking to return to clinical practice. The service can help with issues relating to a mental health concern, including stress or depression or an addiction problem, in particular where these might affect work. The service is provided by health professionals specialising in mental health support to doctors and is available in various locations across England. You can contact them here; https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/ 

Further support is available below: 

Support Available to All working in General Practice/Primary Care 

For all information relating to support available to General Practice staff during this time, please refer to www.careforyourcareer.co.uk 

This has all of the information about existing support offers, and will be updated regularly for any new support packages. In summary, the key things available are: 

The GP, Practice Nurse and Practice Manager mentoring scheme is still running. If you need some peer support during these times. Here is a message from one of our Lead Mentors: 

GP Mentoring - WE ARE STILL OPEN! - Support for GPs in these challenging times 

We are aware that everyone is under huge pressure at the moment, and that this is likely to increase. 

Teaching and networking events, and appraisals are being cancelled to free up time - but this leaves many of us even more isolated at a time when our mental health is under strain. 

The GP Mentoring Scheme is still in action. Some mentors are still available to you, and we are happy to support you remotely, by Skype, FaceTime, Telephone, etc. Some of us, too are working remotely, and are aware of the pressures on everyone. 

We appreciate that you may not be pondering career development right now, but we’re all going to need support in these pressured and isolated times. The GP Mentors are here to help you through this. Please make use of us! 

The same applies for PMs and PNs, and other HCPs working in Primary Care may also access this service 

The First 5 support network is still available. Please continue to use this if needed, all details are on the website (see Supporting Our People section).

Free MH Self-Help Apps for all NHS Staff and advice on managing mental health challenges 

Please see below 

Warwickshire Safe Haven Service 

The Safe Haven aims to support people who are feeling distressed and overwhelmed and is available during the evenings (including weekends) when other forms of support are often closed. 

For Warwickshire, a new Safe Haven service will be delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Mind which can be accessed from 2nd April 2020 via phone or email: 02477 714554 or safehaven@cwmind.org.uk. 

BMA 

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19/your-health-and-wellbeing/your-wellbeing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic 

RCGP 

There is a support forum for all members. Log in here and you need to sign up: 

https://covid19forum.rcgp.org.uk/login 

RCN 

https://www.rcn.org.uk/get-help/rcn-advice/covid-19

NHS – Our People

Free mental health and wellbeing support line for all NHS staff regardless of where we work.

 

Telephone: 0300 131 7000

For the 24/7 text helpline simply text FRONTLINE to 85258

 

Manned from 7am – 11pm every day and provides support including psychological support and practical/financial advice too.

 

https://people.nhs.uk/

 

Several wellbeing apps are now free for NHS staff until the end of 2020 through this link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/2020/03/free-access-to-wellbeing-apps-for-all-nhs-staff 

 

Unmind - designed to help with stress, sleep, coping, connection, fulfillment and nutrition. 

Headsapace - mindfulness and meditation,

Sleepio - clinically-evidenced sleep improvement programme

Daylight - help to people experiencing symptoms of worry and anxiety, using evidence-based cognitive behavioural techniques, voice and animation.

NHS Hotline

The NHS has launched a hotline to support and advise healthcare staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Volunteers from charities including Hospice UK, the Samaritans and Shout, will listen to concerns and offer psychological support.

The phone line for England will be open between 07:00 and 23:00 every day, while the text service will be available around the clock.

The details can be found here: https://people.nhs.uk/