Rainbows. The UK loved to use them during the pandemic. They became a national symbol of appreciation for the NHS, tirelessly helping those suffering with COVID-19.
How did the pandemic affect healthcare staff, the 'key worker' heroes in the darkness of a global catastrophe? Did the heart of the nation boost morale? As the nation begins to gain a glimpse of life beyond the masks, an NHS worker shares her thoughts.
During the pandemic, Tracey Cullerne was a Matron in two Gloucestershire hospitals. "The unpredictability of COVID was hard to cope with at times," she said. "I was sometimes afraid I would catch [it], become incredibly sick and need hospital care. There was a risk I might not survive. If this happened, how would my family and children cope?"
She added - "I had staff that became very sick and required Intensive Care support. I know I cried at this point, as I needed to come into work and support my teams, knowing their friend and work colleague may not survive. It was very scary and a real challenging time for all staff."
Photo by Tugce Gungormezler on Unsplash
Staff were given help for their wellbeing when they felt low, and not just through services. There was a 2020 Hub that signposted support and websites, such as counselling. NHS workers were also given a 50% subsidy on cafeteria food, free parking, free sleep and relaxation apps.
See here, an outline of support services for NHS workers - https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/
There were also 'wobble rooms' available for workers. Cullerne said, "we created [these] rooms which were a safe space where staff could go to have a break, drink, rest, cry or whatever time out they needed. In these rooms were drinks, snacks, and 'positive notes' that staff could read to one another."
And how did workers balance their mental health with their duties? Cullerne said that while access to support services was provided, there seemed to be a shared mindset in staff. "I think at the time we all worked on 'autopilot' to get on with the job we had. There was a feeling that 'we are all in this together,' which encouraged everyone to work as a team - to deliver care and do whatever was necessary to ensure patients were treated."
Cullerne added: 'It's not until you take time to reflect on this that you start to consider the impact on yourself, your job and your family or friends. Looking after yourself was encouraged by the Trust, however the true impact of COVID on the workforce is only now becoming more apparent."
The 'Clap for Carers' was one small way the public applauded the NHS. A seemingly kind gesture, however, was criticised by some for being 'hypocritical'. On this matter, Cullerne said: "many staff felt it raised awareness of the importance of the NHS and how it's always been taken for granted. It gave staff the opportunity to see people that lived in their street for 10mins every Thursday." Cullerne added: "some staff felt appreciated and said they felt it was uplifting and motivating."
Comments