6.8 Health and Wellbeing of Staff

1. Introduction

With increasing pressure on services, it is vital that all those providing care and support – both employers and employees – are able to take time to think about their health and wellbeing as well as that of their colleagues, and the people and families they support.

2. Mental Wellbeing

The following tips can be useful when promoting mental wellbeing at work:

• Prioritise tasks: utilise tools like to-do lists and have regular supervisions to organise work and prevent feelings of overwhelm.
• Take breaks: regular breaks to recharge are encouraged.
• Stay active: take short walks or stretch during breaks. Do at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week to boost mood.
• Eat healthily: opt for balanced, nutritious meals and stay hydrated to keep energised and support brain health.
• Sleep well: good quality sleep can gave a positive impact on how people feel mentally and physically. Every Mind Matters provides advice on how to get a good night’s sleep.
• Stay connected: spend quality time with friends and family.
• Communicate openly: share your feelings, and seek support when needed.
• Regularly check in with others: ask if they are ‘ok’, and encourage them to seek help if they need support. Services available include:
  • sending a message with the word FRONTLINE to 85258 to start a conversation with the Shout messaging support service;
  • Samaritans offer support NHS and social care workers in England. They can be contact for free, day or night, on 116 123
  • Every Mind Matters which provides comprehensive support, tips and ideas on mental health and wellbeing.

2.1 How managers can help

During supervision sessions, managers should regularly check in with team members and ask about their wellbeing (although staff should be clear they can ask for help in between supervision sessions if they are struggling). Managers should be clear they can ask for help in between supervision sessions if they are struggling). Managers should get to know their team members and understand their personal circumstances, and be on the look out for warning signs of excessive stress (for example, changes in behaviour) and intervene early. Mind recommend developing Wellness Action Plans  with staff as a practical well of supporting their mental health and wellbeing.

Managers should lead by example and role model self-care practices, like taking regular breaks, and sharing how they manage stress, as well as using positive language around mental health to make it easier for employees to seek help.

Managers should also seek to ensure workloads are manageable, support team members to use their annual leave, and help staff maintain a healthy work-life balance, for example avoiding contacting team members outside work hours unless it’s urgent.

See also Wellbeing Resource Finder (Skills for Care) and People Manager’s Guide to Mental Health (Mind)

3. Building Resilience and Managing Stress and Anxiety

It is important that staff are helped to find ways of coping with increased pressure. Skills for Care has a guide on How to Build Personal Resilience. The guide includes tasks for staff to complete that help to recognise pressure and stress. It provides advice on developing resilience through emotional intelligence, accurate thinking and realistic optimism.

MindEd provides free educational resources on mental health.

The Every Mind Matters page on managing anxiety provides advice on managing worries that people may have.

Other information and support includes:

• Mental Health Foundation – less stressful workplaces;
• Mind– how to be mentally healthy at work;
• NHS – Be kind to your mind.

4. Physical Wellbeing

Staff should try to keep active, where and when possible. This can include walking outside or running or riding a bike once a day, as fresh air is extremely beneficial for mental health.

For those who are not able to exercise outdoors, there are several online workouts that can be done at home. The NHS provides free, easy 10-minute workouts and the NHS Fitness Studio has a collection of accessible exercise videos.

Staff should ensure they get rest and respite during work or between shifts, eat healthily, engage in physical activity and stay in contact with family and friends. People should avoid unhelpful coping strategies such as tobacco, alcohol or other drugs. In the long term, these can worsen mental and physical health.

5. Financial Wellbeing

Financial wellbeing is about people having a sense of security and having enough money to meet their needs; it is about being in control of day-to-day finances and having the financial freedom to make choices that allow people to enjoy their life.

There are a number of organisations to help staff with financial problems they may have:

• Mind– money and mental health;
• Citizens Advice – help for people who are struggling to pay their bills. It is important that bills are not ignored as this can make the situation worse;
• National Debtline provides free, confidential and independent advice on dealing with debt problems.

• MoneyHelper works to improve people’s financial wellbeing. It gives free, impartial money advice through. It also includes a number of useful tools and calculators.

There is also information on:

• your rights if your hours are cut or you’re laid off (gov.uk);
• what to do if you cannot pay your tax bill on time (gov.uk).

6. Concerns about Work

It is important that people’s rights as workers are protected, especially during times of increased pressure. Similarly, staff have a professional duty to act if they are concerned that the safety of those they care for is at risk. If any member of staff has any concerns about employment practices, it is important that they feel able to raise them.

Any concerns should be raised with the senior management team in the first instance. There will be internal procedures in the workplace about what to do.

Staff can also contact their union or professional body, if they have one, for advice about what to do if they have concerns. They can play a helpful role in trying to resolve any problems staff may be facing and improve workplace practice.

Finally, if staff want to report a serious case of bad practice or have been unsuccessful in resolving any issues with their organisation, they can contact the CQC.

See also Whistleblowing chapter.