Main SoR website
logo
  • Home
  • Wellbeing, emotional and mental health
  • Wellbeing, emotional and mental health support and resources

Wellbeing, emotional and mental health support and resources

06/04/2020

Support others and protect your own mental health in Covid-19 outbreak

Nobel laureate Peter Medawar wrote that a virus was ‘a piece of nucleic acid surrounded by bad news’ and Covid-19 has brought its fair share of bad news.

The increased demand on our health services, along with uncertainty in society, have brought with them significant stress and anxiety. Therefore, it is very important, whilst continuing to provide the best standards of care and taking precautions to protect ourselves, that we look after our mental health.

Stress is a normal part of life and the healthiest way to deal with stress is to acknowledge it and seek support. Stress is not a sign of weakness, or that you are not doing a good job. If you are struggling to cope, speak to your team and management and support each other through this difficult time.

  • Use and promote any support facilities available
  • Maximise any down time you have and use it to recharge
  • Avoid unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol
  • Make sure you get enough rest
  • Continue to eat healthily
  • Keep well hydrated and exercise where and when possible

It is important to stay informed. Keep an eye on advice from your employer and the SCoR to ensure that you are keeping up to date with information designed to keep you safe.

Constant news updates throughout the day can be distracting and upsetting, so consider turning off push notifications and accessing reliable sources at a single time during the day when you are least likely to be distracted or concerned by other matters.

If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed, take yourself away and do something which you find relaxing.

Use digital communication and social media to stay connected with friends and family.

Try not to make assumptions or judgments about anyone who contracts the virus. Be supportive of those around you, especially the vulnerable and those who may be worried about it.
Above all else, acknowledge your feelings and take care of each other.

Ross McGhee
UK Council member for Scotland

Resources and support

NHS mental health and wellbeing hotline to support and advise healthcare staff includes volunteers from charities including Hospice UK, the Samaritans and Shout, who will listen to concerns and offer psychological support. The phone line is open between 7am and 11pm every day, while the text service is available 24 hours. The phone number is 0300 131 7000, or text FRONTLINE to 85258.

health_wellbeing_1-01.pngSoR Tips on Reducing Anxiety Poster- Download the breakroom and noticeboard poster for staff members

SoR Tips on Managing Stress Poster - Download the breakroom and noticeboard poster for staff members, asking the question 'How are you feeling?'

National NHS wellbeing support
The NHS nationally and locally has developed a range of wellbeing support to care for and protect all NHS people, whether at the frontline or in supporting services. All NHS staff now have access to a range of support through one point of contact:

  • A free wellbeing support helpline 0300 131 7000, available from 7am - 11pm seven days a week, providing confidential listening from trained professionals and specialist advice, including coaching, bereavement care, mental health and financial help
  • A 24/7 text alternative to the above helpline - text FRONTLINE to 85258
  • Online peer-to-peer, team and personal resilience support, including through Silver Cloud, and free mindfulness apps including Unmind,  Headspace Sleepio and Daylight

health_wellbeing_2-01_0.png

Compassion starts with me: wellbeing resources, toolkits and guidance for managers and staff from across Wales. (Added 1 April 2020)

Support The Workers: A rapid training and education programme for frontline workers using the most up to date behavioural and psychological science. Input from world leading experts in disaster response, crisis psychology and human performance under conditions of extreme stress. Includes a series of rapid-read one-page briefing notes with practical recommendations on key topics such as extreme stressors, anxiety and fear, leadership, multi-agency teams, and team dynamics.

Health, safety and wellbeing by NHS Employers

Wellbeing apps: NHS staff have been given free access to wellbeing apps such as Headspace, Unmind, Sleepio, and Daylight

Coronavirus and your wellbeing: MIND for better mental health

WHO Coping with stress during the 2109-nCoV outbreak poster

NHS Every Mind Matters

NHS Scotland Psychosocial support and wellbeing: Looking after people, yourself, and your staff

#Caring4NHSPeople Wellbeing webinars: Do you have a role in workforce, occupational health, organisational development, leadership, trade union support or other area that is supporting the wellbeing of our NHS people during and following the Covid-19 response? You canjoin NHS England and Improvement’s weekly virtual sessions, every wednesday between 4-5pm.

Document downloads

  • Health & Wellbeing break room poster
  • Health & Wellbeing break room poster 2
    • Workforce, Governance and Regulations

      • MHRA website for reporting medicine side-effects and equipment incidents
      • Common employment questions
      • COVID testing for staff
      • Health and Safety Executive: Covid-19 RIDDOR Advice
      • Information governance
      • IR(ME)R
      • Guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV)
      • Pregnancy
      • Radiology Service Managers
      • Returners to practice; retired radiographers; registered radiographers in other work areas; and volunteers
      • Sick leave and time off
      • Social Partnership Forum pandemic working guidance
      • National staff council terms and conditions
      • SoR members administering covid-19 vaccines
      • The Quality Standard for Imaging (QSI)
    • Infection control and PPE

      • Cleaning and decontamination of equipment
      • Contact with infected patients or suspected cases
      • Infection prevention and control responsibilities
      • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
      • PPE and the importance of workplace risk assessments
      • PPE guidance posters for imaging and oncology teams
      • PPE: Urgent update for members
      • NHS staff urged to have flu vaccine
      • Resuscitation Council UK Statement on PHE PPE Guidance
      • SoR backs call for upgrade in PPE for healthcare staff
      • Treating patients who refuse to wear a mask or suitable face covering
    • Radiotherapy

      • Radiotherapy services
    • Diagnostic Radiography

      • Imaging and interventional radiology
      • Breast screening and mammography
      • IV administration
      • MRI
      • Nuclear medicine
      • Nuclear medicine hints and tips
      • Screening restart
      • Ultrasound
      • CT
      • General radiography
    • Education and students

      • e-Learning for Healthcare
      • Image interpretation resources
      • Planned placement arrangements
      • Pre-registration education providers
      • Students: What you need to know
      • Student dos and don'ts during Covid-19
      • Student support guidance
      • CoR advice to education providers during the Covid-19 pandemic
    • Clinical Guidelines

      • RCR Guidance
      • Royal College of Surgeons Clinical guide to surgical prioritisation
    • HSC Northern Ireland

      • Breast screening
      • Guidance and Information
      • HSC questions and answers for health and social care staff
    • NHS Scotland

      • Covid special leave arrangements
      • National guidance for staff and managers
      • Covid-19 recruitment portal for former health staff and final year students
      • Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee
      • NHS pauses screening programmes across Scotland
      • NHS Scotland Psychosocial support and wellbeing - Looking after people, yourself, and your staff
      • COVID-19 eUpdates
    • NHS Wales

      • Health and Social Care in Wales – COVID-19: Looking Forward
      • Compassion starts with me - wellbeing resources, toolkits and guidance from across Wales
      • NHS Wales Colleague Health and Wellbeing
      • Student support guidance
      • FAQs
    • Wellbeing, emotional and mental health

      • Resilience and wellbeing
      • Wellbeing, emotional and mental health support and resources

    © 2020 The Society and College of Radiographers

    207 Providence Square, Mill Street, London SE1 2EW

    Telephone: 020 7740 7200

    • Privacy policy
    • Terms & conditions
    • Manage your privacy consents

    Cookies preferences

    Here you can manage how we can collect data and use cookies for the purpose of analysing website traffic and personalising content within this website but NOT on other websites. You can also manage how Google and other technology partners collect data and use cookies for ad personalisation and measurement.

    Accept recommended settings

    This will set all toggles to 'On'.

    Save and Close

    The cookies that we use make our website work and helps us to analyse how the site is used by our visitors and improve our services.

    Accept recommended settings Manage preferences