NEWS
RCOT calls for more action on staff health and wellbeing
RCOT has joined with a broad coalition of key health and care organisations to speak with one voice on the need to prioritise the health and wellbeing of NHS and social care workers , many who are burnt out and exhausted from the pandemic .
The ‘ One Voice ’ statement calls for action to ensure that health and care staff feel that their wellbeing and psychological health are valued by their employing organisations , not solely during the height of extraordinary situations , such as the pandemic , but each and every day .
Through the statement , the coalition stresses that , over the past year , the pandemic has highlighted that the physical and emotional wellbeing of health and care staff must be of equal priority to that of patients . But for many reasons – including a narrow focus on performance and sometimes putting patients ’ needs ahead of those of staff – this has not always been the case .
The coalition goes on to recognise that staff who are psychosocially healthy are better able to meet the needs and preferences of patients , ‘ so it is essential to respond to the needs of staff now , as we emerge from the critical stage of the pandemic and the NHS is in its most fragile state ever ’.
The statement adds : ‘ The safe , effective , efficient , and compassionate care that we all look to the NHS to provide is only possible if staff , both clinical and non-clinical , are physically and emotionally healthy . However , although the NHS is one of the world ’ s largest direct or indirect employers , it lags behind other organisations in terms of care for staff . This must change .’
The coalition wants to ‘ create a culture at work in which staff feel safe and encouraged to speak about their experiences ’.
Actively acknowledging the importance of people ’ s relationships and the vital importance of leadership and team cohesion , it calls on organisations to ‘ promote informal support and to create more formal responses ’.
It concludes : ‘ This means we should take a systemic , preventative approach and not simply focus on treating people ’ s experiences as symptoms of personal stress . It also means actively identifying , and addressing , the wider causes of poor psychosocial wellbeing .
‘ That approach requires a focus on psychosocial aspects of work at organisational levels , such as emotional labour , workloads , team functioning , valuing diversity , absence of bullying and harassment , civility and respect , the availability and use of supervision , and kindness and compassion for staff and patients .
‘ Importantly , these considerations apply in caring for patients , but also in recognising the importance of non-clinical staff to achieving safe and superb care , and through practical matters such as adequate hospital parking facilities and flexible working patterns .
‘ We believe that organisations that commission services and employers both have crucial responsibilities to live up to in achieving the vision set out in this statement . Alongside this , we believe that change is the responsibility of everyone within health and social care and that we all have a role to play .
Read the full ‘ One Voice ’ statement on the RCOT website : www . rcot . co . uk / news / one-voice-joint-statement-health-and-carestaff-wellbeing and use the hashtag # OurNHSPeople to tap into the existing conversation about staff wellbeing .
New funding will improve research-led practice in adult social care in the East of England
A team of researchers from the University of Hertfordshire has been awarded funding of almost £ 1million by the National Institute for Health Research ( NIHR ) to build research capacity in adult social care services across Hertfordshire and Norfolk .
Over one million adults in the UK receive personal and practical care and assistance from social care for a wide range of reasons , including critical support for age-related issues , health conditions and disabilities .
Led by the University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with the University of East Anglia , the project will pave the way for more social care practitioners to undertake relevant research , which can be embedded into their practice to inform and improve quality of care .
In partnership with Hertfordshire and Norfolk County Councils , the three-year initiative will see the researchers create four new Social Care Research in Practice Teams ( SCRiPT ). Each team member will receive funding to develop their research skills and confidence , and design and implement new research projects to advance social care in the region .
One of six similar schemes across England funded by the NIHR , the project also provides more opportunities for collaboration between social care practitioners in Hertfordshire and Norfolk . Participants will benefit from opportunities to share skills and best practice with colleagues from a range of areas of social care .
Kathryn Almack , professor of health , young people and family lives and joint project lead at the University of Hertfordshire , said : ‘ We are delighted to receive this funding that will enable us to significantly raise the profile of research within the field of adult social care . It is fantastic to have investment from the NIHR and backing from senior figures in Hertfordshire and Norfolk County Councils .
‘ Practitioner-led research has long been seen as a vital resource in healthcare , and I am very pleased to see its value being recognised in social care too . This funding will help us to upskill and empower staff , creating time and space for tailored research projects that directly contribute to better care for vulnerable adults across the region .’
Tanya Moore , principal social worker in adult care services at Hertfordshire County Council , said : ‘ Practitioners have a great deal to offer research so it ’ s great to see this project being so thoroughly embedded in practice .’
8 OTnews July 2021