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MENTAL HEALTH


Coping with the ‘New Normal’


Jo Mclean, Executive Director at Performing Medicine- an initiative founded by charity Clod Ensemble- explains the importance of mental health and wellbeing for the health and social care workforce during these unsettling times and provides an insight into the powerful contribution of arts-based interventions.


Never has the health and social care sector experienced such a turbulent time. The unrelenting pressure of COVID-19 has stretched the sector to the absolute limits. As a result of the conditions and contexts in which staff work, the workforce is experiencing significant stress and this impacts the quality of life both in the working environment and at home, which can also impede the quality of care.


For many, exhaustion, stress and trauma are an outcome of dealing with COVID-19 daily for months on end; the impact is immense. An increase in staff absences due to mental health issues reflect the struggles and enormous pressures faced; the health and social care workforce is in a mental health crisis.


It is physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding working in the sector and, therefore, the right support and access to resources is vital. To provide the best care for service users and patients, mental health and wellbeing of the workforce is the priority and, over the past year, this has been brought to the forefront. For instance, the Department of Health and Social Care has published guidance to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce, and many health and social care organisations have invested in programmes to promote and support their teams’ wellbeing.


At Performing Medicine, our arts-based approach focuses on professional development and staff wellbeing; helping the workforce to establish new ways of coping with the increased pressures and to recover from the challenges. These sessions are unique and draw on arts-based approaches to help individuals use their bodies and voices for effective communication and for self-care, to better look aſter themselves and others.


This helps staff to develop practical skills that are relevant to the new challenges they face, so that they are in a stronger position to care for themselves and others. For instance, the changes in the way they interact with service users - adapting


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to social distancing and communicating while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).


‘Coping with PPE’ is a free resource which addresses some of the issues around wearing PPE for extended periods of time and includes tips from performers, including actors from Star Wars and War Horse, who are used to wearing heavy restrictive costumes, masks, puppets, animatronics and prosthetics. From advice on orientation and spatial awareness, and non- verbal communication, to breathing techniques and body- scans; ‘Coping with PPE’ is an effective resource for anyone working in health and social care.


Equally, the Recovery Room is another free resource which has guided self-care exercises to follow before, during and aſter work to help prepare, energise, refresh, recover and wind down.


Self-care is an essential part of professional practice and, therefore, staff should be encouraged not to view this as indulgent or feel guilty about taking a break. Instead, health and social care professionals must consider the steps they take to look aſter themselves before, during and aſter work. As a sector, we must empower staff to take action and encourage teams to stay united, to support their colleagues and look out for each other.


The pandemic has been a catalyst for highlighting the invaluable role of arts in supporting not only patients and service users but creating better outcomes for staff too. In fact, today, the sector is increasingly incorporating arts-based interventions across services, recognising its positive impact across the board.


Now, as the COVID pressures begin to ease, recovery for staff is key. It is about helping people to do the jobs they want to do, and providing them with the support to look aſter themselves as individuals so that they are in the best possible position to respond to the needs of the people they care for.


www.performingmedicine.com www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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