The talking wellness service, which was launched in 2020 to support the impact COVID-19 was having on the mental health wellbeing of NHS and social care staff, is no longer taking new referrals.
While funding for talking wellness has come to an end, the decision to close the service will not affect members of staff who have already been assessed and are receiving support; nor will it affect anyone who has been referred into the team or completed a self-referral and placed on a wait list. These commitments will be met in full, with the same professional high-standard of care and support.
For information on and signposting to support for financial wellbeing, work/life balance, mental health, staying physically well and how colleagues can support each other, please visit the staff-facing Kent and Medway wellbeing hub launched in January 2023,
Additionally individual health trusts, organisations and councils all have services and support in place for their employees. Members of staff can also access services and support through this public-facing Kent and Medway mental wellbeing information hub, which signposts to mental health support available to all.
Release the Pressure
Phone 0800 107 0160 or Text SHOUT to 85258 or for free confidential support at any time.
Free expert advice from trained counsellors is available for every mental health concern.
Visit Release the Pressure to find out more.
Listening Line
For all NHS staff. 7am to 11pm. Phone 0300 131 7000
Samaritans
- Phone116 123
- Email Jo at Samaritans (will respond within 24 hours)
- Mail: Send a letter to Freepost SAMARITANS LETTER
- Find out more at the Samaritans website
Bereavement and loss support
7am to 11pm. Phone 0300 303 4434.
National resource
The NHS Leadership Academy can help you manage your own health and wellbeing while looking after others.
Alongside information about support available to you, the website includes short guides to help support you with skills and new ways to improve your experience of work.
The guides were developed with experts and cover topics, such as personal resilience, support for line managers and how to run your own 10-minute Pause Space.
NHS South East Leadership Academy
While it’s normal to struggle at the moment, looking out for signs in yourself and others of more significant distress can help you or a colleague access support.
NHS South East Leadership Academy has published tips, resources and signposting to help you find the right support for you and your teams, including advice for:
- understanding your needs
- working in high-risk areas
- working remotely and shielding
- staying well
- patients and carers
- bereavement and grief.
You can access these resources via the Academy’s Looking After Our People page.
Free access to selected apps for NHS staff
NHS staff have been given free access to a number of wellbeing apps to support our mental health and wellbeing.
From mindfulness and meditation sessions to help reduce stress and build resilience with Headstart to support to help you to improve your quality of sleep via Sleepio, you just need to use your nhs.net email to download them.
You can find out more via NHS England’s Supporting Our NHS People wellbeing apps page.