Understanding NHS staff mental health during COVID-19 [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic on NHS staff mental health, workplace characteristics and resilience: A longitudinal view
IRAS ID
283441
Contact name
Rachel Rahman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aberystwyth University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This project seeks to understand the impact and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic on NHS staff mental health, workplace characteristics and resilience. Frontline NHS staff are responding to an international health crisis, where staff are required to make decisions under extreme and unfamiliar pressure. This project will help to understand how Covid-19 is experienced by NHS staff, and the consequences it has for their wellbeing and ability to cope over the following year. Whilst NHS staff are the focus of the project, its relevance has direct consequence for patients if NHS staff are caring from a position of stress, anxiety and burnout. These experiences also need to be understood to assess longer-term impact, and to support NHS staff in maintaining and sustaining positive wellbeing into the future. \nHywel Dda UHB’s full workforce (including clinical/ non-clinical; working in either ‘red COVID-19 zones’ , ‘Green zones’ or at home) are eligible to take part. This mixed methods study will combine a (a) survey at monthly intervals, to measure staff mental health and resilience indicators, (b) brief cognitive task that indicates decision making ability, (c) a qualitative diary to collate experiences and reflections, and (d) individual semi-structured interviews to explore experiences in-depth. Measures a-c will be delivered via a user friendly App that allows staff to access the data collection tools without disrupting their clinical routine. Surveys will also be available via a web platform for those without i-phone access. Interviews will be conducted online or by telephone with a sub-sample of staff as an optional opt-in study. These measures will be collected over a period of 12 months to track staff responses, to highlight opportunities to intervene to improve health and well-being, and to enable identification of vulnerable staff groups who may require additional support in the future.\n
REC name
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REC reference
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