A new website designed to promote the wellbeing of health and social care professionals in Scotland has been welcomed as an “innovative and useful” resource. The National Wellbeing Hub, in which a wide range of national, local and professional bodies are involved, is designed to support those who work in health or social services at a time when Covid-19 has changed all our lives.
With the catchline “You look after us, so we’ll look after you”, the hub hosts a wide variety of resources for managers, employers and individuals in the sector, and signposts them to useful information and other sites where help and advice are available.
It also features video clips featuring health and care professionals, as well as one by Clare Haughey, Minister for Mental Health, who said: “In these testing times we are so grateful to all those working across our health and social care services, including all our unpaid carers.
“The pandemic has shone a light on the exceptional work that you do every day. You’ve been called heroes, and we rightly want to honour your dedication and compassion, and that includes ensuring you can access support – if you need it.
“We know you are under a lot of pressure, so this website – our National Wellbeing Hub – has been created to provide advice and information to support your emotional and psychological wellbeing. Here you will find messages from colleagues, tips and materials to help you cope with real life and detail about how you can access support. There’s also information for managers and organisations to help them to look after their staff.”
She concluded: “Please take care of yourselves and thank you so much for all you are doing to keep us safe and well.”
Dr Kirsten Woolley, RCGP wellbeing lead with the Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative, said: “As the Minister says on the website, Scotland’s health and care professionals are doing exceptional work looking after our sick and vulnerable during the pandemic.
“However, it is vitally important that they also look after themselves as best they can, which is where this innovative and very useful website comes in.
“We would urge all involved in health and social care to visit the site and, if they need to, use it.”
