The COVID-19 pandemic has led to enormous practical and emotional challenges for healthcare workers globally, including NHS staff. Psychological support provisions have been established by an NHS healthcare trust in the North of England, including 1:1 psychological support provided by the in-house psychology team. This study sought to understand how staff experienced the service, what worked well and what could be improved. Five participants who had accessed the staff support service took part in semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three main themes emerged from the data: 'The need for a flexible, responsive approach', 'Individual and group benefits' and 'The future of staff support: "we need to invest in staff mentally"'. Accessing the service was seen as personally and professionally rewarding for the NHS staff interviewed. These findings are discussed in relation to the relevant literature. Clinical implications, methodological limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Purpose
Nursing teams supporting people with intellectual disabilities in inpatient settings are known to be vulnerable to burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Aspects such as resourcing, support, training and the fundamental challenges of supporting this patient group are known risk factors for these difficulties. The aim of this paper is to synthesise the literature on these issues and provide suggestions for operationalising solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature on the experiences of nursing teams supporting people with intellectual disabilities in inpatient settings was considered, alongside the established offer of clinical psychologists working into these services.
Findings
There are common themes of staff’s emotional health and the impact this can have on patient care and the steps that managers and organisations can take to support their teams to remain emotionally healthy, compassionate and effective practitioners. Clinical psychology can play a role in offering this support only where services and teams are aware of the contribution they can make.
Originality/value
Clinical psychology has been undersold and under-represented in inpatient settings for people with intellectual disabilities, and this practice paper outlines the important contributions that they can make to the psychological well-being of all within the system, not just patients.
ObjectivesTo explore the experiences of therapists who delivered remote psychological therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignThis was a qualitative, phenomenological study. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis elicited themes from semi-structured interviews.MethodsA purposive sample of eight therapists was recruited from breast cancer services in the United Kingdom.ResultsAnalysis identified three superordinate themes. Participants spoke about how their experience of remote working changed over time from an initial crisis response to a new status quo. They adapted to the specific practical and personal challenges of remote working and struggled to connect with clients as the use of technology fundamentally changed the experience of therapy.ConclusionConsideration should be given to the impact of remote working on therapists and the quality of their practise. Adjustments to ways of working can help to maximize the advantages of remote working while minimizing potential issues.
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