When to self-isolate?
With community transmission rising, if you think you may need to self-isolate use our 1-minute Self-Isolation Quick Checker to confirm whether you need to self-isolate and what you need to do next.
Traveling to work during lockdowns
All our staff, as essential healthcare workers, are permitted to continue to travel to work. If you are concerned you may be challenged by the police you can download a copy of our travel authorisation letter here.
Virus Control
Can we remind everyone of the key safety measures we must all take to protect ourselves, our families, our service users and our colleagues.
- Always wear the correct PPE for a situation
- if you are unsure what you need ask your line manager
- Always wear the provided 3-ply face mask when you are at a service
- even if you are outside with colleagues on a break
- Socially distance at all times apart form when you are providing personal care
- Even if you are wearing a face covering you still need to keep 2m from your colleagues and service
- Hand sanitise regularly using the sanitiser provided
Let’s Support & Help
The coronavirus pandemic has been an unprecedented event which has affected every single one of us.
We have all been running off adrenalin to meet the immediate challenges but it is now that we are starting to recognise the ongoing impact coronavirus is having on our lives.
To provide our staff with access to a wide range of support at this time, we’ve introduced our Let’s Support & Help plan. This is about encouraging activities that will allow us to recognise and express our concerns and allow us all to access the support we may need.
Staff self-care guide
Read our self-care guide opposite, which aims to:
- help you recognise the signs of stress not only in ourselves but in our colleagues, our friends and our families.
- provide you with ideas for personal coping strategies
- offer practical advice on managing the practicalities of life as we move into the ‘new normal’ after the worst period of the pandemic
- suggest ideas to allow us to support each other
Employee Assistance Programme
Online self-help
SilverCloud Health has setup a dedicated website to provide wellbeing support for staff working in social care during this time.
Staff can access online self-help programmes for:
- COVID-19 — support for the difficult emotions and situations you may face during the pandemic. Helping you to deal with worry, sleep issues, bereavement, isolation and work-life balance
- sleep — learn how to fall asleep faster and stay asleep with healthier habits.
- stress — manage stress and learn healthy coping skills.
- resilience — enhance your wellbeing and your ability to bounce back from challenges.
To access SilverCloud:
- go to their website: silvercloudhealth.com,
- click on ‘user sign up in the top right of the page
- click to say you are a frontline worker in the UK
- view the available programmes and click on the one you are interested in
- then register using the Access PIN: SOC2020
On the NHS site there are also some excellent mental wellbeing audio guides:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/moodzone-mental-wellbeing-audio-guides/
Smartphone Apps
Here are some ideas for apps that you might find helpful:
Daylight: Daylight is a smartphone-based app that provides help you if you are experiencing symptoms of worry and anxiety using evidence-based cognitive behavioural techniques, voice, and animation. Free access to Daylight is active now until 31 December 2020. covers all staff working in social care, including volunteers.
http://trydaylight.com/care-access
Sleepio: Sleepio is a clinically-evidenced sleep improvement programme that is fully automated and highly personalised, using cognitive behavioural techniques to help improve poor sleep. You have free access to Sleepio until 31 December 2020. This covers all staff working in health and social care.
http://sleepio.com/care-access
Meditation and breathing apps
Stop, Breathe & Think
The Mindfulness app – (N.B. you can skip the Premium trial if you only want to access the free content)
Mental Health apps
My Possible Self – track your moods and receive tailored insights
Stress and Anxiety Companion – let’s you analyse your stress levels ands suggests exercises to help manage your anxiety
Woebot – mood journal, diary and tracker to help you log and improve your emotions
What’s up? For when you need a little extra help getting through these tough days.
Free guided mindfulness scripts
The free Mindfulness project website: http://www.freemindfulness.org/home
Leaves on a stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIlZHoiOb0s 7 minutes 57 seconds
5 minute breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmFUDkj1Aq0 5 minutes 22 seconds
Body scan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2yDmWk0vs 8 minutes, 38 seconds
Self-soothing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl_B45DpMLU 10 minutes 7 seconds
Being present: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZToicYcHIOU 10 minutes 30 seconds
Visuals – Calm breathing bubble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQed_Xdyvw 50 seconds
Octagon breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdbbtgf05Ek 5 minutes
Sleep – Time for rest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsrYKy5aYKg 5 minutes
