When the pandemic took hold of the UK back in March, Harriet Hunt knew she needed to do something for NHS workers like her husband, Charlie, a junior doctor.
“I quickly became aware of the pressure NHS workers were under on a daily basis, especially during busy periods or when they are in new roles. In addition to support from his place of work, during testing times Charlie found CBT, mindfulness and meditation really helpful, as well as changing his diet and exercise regimes,” Hunt tells the Standard.
“Right from the start his sole focus was on his patients and getting the public through this - selflessness seems to be a quality that people who work in healthcare intrinsically possess. I knew he wasn't thinking about the emotional impact this would have on him.”
Hunt’s instinct was to call Sadie Reid, who runs hipandhealthy.com and the pair began to research what wellbeing sessions could be carried out virtually, how quickly it could be arranged and what the costs would be.
The result is Duty to Care, a site connecting NHS workers with free virtual wellbeing sessions - as long as it receives donations from the public. For every £10,000 the initiative raises, it can offer help to 250 NHS workers, connecting them with CBT therapists, mindfulness teachers, psychotherapists, yoga teachers and life coaches.
Hunt adds: “Experts are predicting a steep rise in PTSD cases among healthcare workers after C19, which of course we all hope will not be the case but it is something we should rightly be concerned about. I hope that all the NHS workers who have soldiered on without sparing a second to think about what they are going through or how they are feeling will feel supported not just in the immediate aftermath but on an ongoing basis. Our mission at Duty To Care is to provide ongoing support for those who choose to care for us.”
Reid says offering a range of practitioners was important to the cause. “We all respond to different things in different ways, and some people need treatments in combination. So we have yoga, personal training, mindfulness, breathwork, life coaching, CBT and a range of psychotherapy counsellors, each with their own unique speciality, from sleep to anxiety. In the months after launch we are expanding the range of therapies currently offered.”
So far, Hunt says the response has been ‘incredible’ with one ICU nurse citing a spike in her energy levels thanks to advice gained from a nutritionist through Duty to Care. “We have also had quite a few people comment on how good it feels to have someone focus on them for a moment, and to ask them if they are OK," Hunt adds.
Sarah, a trainee GP who was moved to medical wards as Covid-19 set in, was also forced to move out of her family home as her father is high-risk - and has been struggling with sleep and anxiety as a result. Through Duty to Care, she has had some sessions with a breath work expert which is something she ‘hadn’t thought to try before’.
“Having struggled with depression and anxiety in the past I knew I was susceptible and that this period was going to be really difficult. Being forced to move out of home to protect my family and move from my normal job to a Covid ward really tested me. I am really pleased that I have found new coping mechanisms which are not only helping me now but will be something I can use again in the future,” Sarah says.
“I had a gut feeling from the start which one was going to be best suited to me. It’s obviously quite a personal thing, and you instinctively know if you want to open up to that person or not. Initially having a video session was a bit odd, and it took me a while to angle the camera right so he could see my breathing clearly, but once we found our feet it was great and it has been so helpful for me.”
I’m an NHS worker, how can I sign up to Duty to Care?
NHS workers can sign up using their NHS email address at dutytocare.info. They will then receive login details to view a directory of practitioners who they can have sessions with.
Hunt says: “We have had over 400 NHS workers sign-up in the last six weeks, and that has primarily been through word of mouth. We have received lots of messages from doctors, nurses and paramedics saying they have used the service and passed details on to their colleagues afterwards - I think somebody recommending a service like this that they have personally used and valued is the most powerful endorsement.”
To find out more and to donate, visit dutytocare.info
