{"id":47300,"date":"2020-04-24T18:43:38","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T17:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=47300"},"modified":"2020-04-24T18:44:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T17:44:04","slug":"howyoudoing-promoting-and-protecting-wellbeing-during-an-unprecedented-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2020\/04\/24\/howyoudoing-promoting-and-protecting-wellbeing-during-an-unprecedented-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"#HowYouDoing?\u00a0Promoting and protecting wellbeing during an unprecedented crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are currently facing the greatest challenge in the recent history of the NHS. None of us has lived through a global pandemic such as covid-19: it is hard to predict what the experience will be, but we anticipate that the pressures will be immense. We are already witnessing the detrimental impact on healthcare professionals across the world. Italian healthcare workers have described their situation as\u00a0 \u201crelentless\u201d, with many potentially sacrificing their own health and that of their loved ones to serve on the frontline. Without a doubt, effects on mental health and wellbeing are only just beginning to unfold.<\/span><\/p>\n

We are working in exceptional times, but providing and protecting staff wellbeing initiatives should be universal, not exceptional. <\/span>In the UK, there are approximately one million full-time equivalent staff working as NHS employees in hospital and community <\/span>services<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Recent years have seen greater emphasis on staff wellbeing, including from national bodies such as <\/span>the General Medical Council, the Royal Colleges and the British Medical Association<\/span>. Last year, Health Education England published the <\/span>Mental Wellbeing (Pearson) report<\/span><\/a>, whilst the <\/span>BMA\u2019s Fatigue and Facilities Charter<\/span><\/a> outlines simple steps that can be taken to improve workplace facilities and reduce fatigue. We must continue responding to the current challenge and putting patients at the heart of everything we do. However, we are also human beings, susceptible to stress, burnout and fatigue. The current pandemic calls for an even greater focus on initiatives to protect wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefits of peer support are well known. We are a group of health professionals currently on a mission to spread support and kindness across the country. We are doing this by asking healthcare colleagues to take two minutes to talk and to ask their co-workers one question: #HowYouDoing? This question is underpinned by commitments to:<\/span><\/p>\n