The Wellbeing of Healthcare Workers
Research examines how healthcare practitioners experience, manage and seek support for mental wellbeing
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed renewed focus on the mental wellbeing of healthcare workers on the frontline of the crisis. We know that prior to COVID-19, working conditions were already challenging, with approximately 40% of doctors and nurses reporting symptoms of poor mental wellbeing.
Our research has shown that the wider work environment is not only important for staff mental wellbeing, but also for the quality of patient care being delivered. Similarly, it is imperative interventions and support focus on the wider organisation and try to address issues at source, and not only aim to make the individual more “resilient”.
What is less known is how exactly we can and should intervene to support the mental wellbeing of healthcare workers. This not only includes the availability of support across different levels of the system, but why an individual may (or may not) choose to access support when they are struggling with their mental wellbeing.
What we’re researching:
The first project is a mixed-methods study investigating the working contexts and psychological distress or suicidal thoughts amongst junior doctors. An interview-based study examines how doctors experience, manage and seek support for mental wellbeing, including potential barriers and facilitators to help-seeking. This is followed by a national survey that tests for the factors leading to doctors’ distress and suicidality.
The second project is a systematic review of the research around mental wellbeing of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom. This aims to establish the scale of the problem and the existing interventions available. We’ve also been working with an advisory group representing the nursing and midwifery workforce to develop and agree upon a set of local and national guidelines to support the mental wellbeing of this profession.
“Our research is contributing to our knowledge of how to better support the mental wellbeing of our healthcare workers, and to create a system that is more supportive and conducive to their mental wellbeing.”
What will the impact be?
Dr Kevin Teoh, Department of Organizational Psychology explains, "Our research is contributing to our knowledge of how to better support the mental wellbeing of our healthcare workers, and to create a system that is more supportive and conducive to their mental wellbeing. This is even more important in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
“These projects have the support of professional bodies, charities, NHS organisations and different levels of government. Our report into the mental wellbeing of nurses and midwives is a central output for the Royal College of Nursing Foundations 2020 being the ‘International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife’ and is due to be launched at the House of Lords.”
“Our findings will help inform evidence-based decision making around the support of healthcare workers' mental wellbeing, including guidance and best practice on what to do. This informs our future streams, which is to test and evaluate effective ways of mental wellbeing interventions”
Project Fact-file
- Full project title: An exploratory mixed method study to identify working conditions and work cultures associated with psychological distress and suicidality among junior doctors working in the NHS
- Funding: £149,835.00 [PB-PG-0418-20023]
- Funder: National Institute of Health Research
- Length of award: October 2019 to February 2021
- Supported by: Department of Organizational Psychology (School of Business, Economics and Informatics)
- People: Dr Kevin Teoh, Department of Organizational Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London; Dr Ruth Riley, Dr James Martin, University of Birmingham; Dr Anna Taylor; Dr Anya Gopfert, Oxford University; Dr Maria Van Hove; Dr Marta Buszewicz, University College London; Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, Keele University; Professor Louis Appleby, University of Manchester.
- Full project title: The Mental Health and Wellbeing of Nurses and Midwives in the UK: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Implications and Interventions
- Funding: £25,000
- Funder: Royal College of Nursing Foundation
- Length of award: October 2019 to April 2020
- Supported by: Department of Organizational Psychology (School of Business, Economics and Informatics)
- People: Professor Gail Kinman,University of Bedfordshire; Dr Kevin Teoh, Department of Organizational Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London; Professor Anne Harriss, South Bank University.