Coronavirus mental health impact will last 'considerable' time - Wolverhampton hospital boss
The impact of coronavirus on people's mental health will be felt for a "considerable" amount of time, a health chief has said.
David Loughton, chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said the virus had presented "enormous" challenges.
And he was concerned frontline workers at New Cross Hospital would feel the long-term effects due to the situations they have experienced.
It came as he urged his colleagues to speak out if they face any difficulty – with a range of measures and support available.
Mr Loughton, in a video for Mental Health Awareness Week, said: "I would like to thank all staff, volunteers and a wide range of other people that have assisted us so much over the last two months to deal with Covid-19.
"It has presented enormous challenges and I am pleased to say everyone has done so well.
"There is a ‘but’ and I realise a lot of you have been dealing with a lot of things that you would not have experienced over your professional and working life before.
"I do have concerns going forward at the long-term effects that this may have on you because you have seen things you would not expect to see.
"We have put a number of measures in place in terms of counselling and other support but please do not be afraid to say 'I am having difficulty dealing with this'."
Workers can access wellbeing webpages, a self-care app, mental support lines and can access counselling and psychological support.
Consequence
Serenity and wobble rooms have also been set up to help give staff a well-earned break.
"It’s not just at work; for myself personally and for a lot of other people we have all been concerned about the effects of Covid-19, but I have not been concerned at the end of the month whether I would have enough money to live on," Mr Loughton added.
"I think we will see the long-term effects of this in the community and within our own families where partners, loved ones and friends have lost their jobs as a consequence of this.
"So some of the impact of the mental health issues going forward will be felt by us as a country for some considerable period of time.
"So please seek support and the help of others because your wellbeing is so important to me and your families’ wellbeing.
"It’s all part of the same. Thank you for what you have done and we wish you well the future."
