Dorset nurse says staff need help to deal with pandemic trauma

A nursing union's warning 'staff need help now' after being traumatised by dealing with the pandemic.

Research has found almost half of intensive care workers reported mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

Some are suffering PTSD or turning to drink as a result of the pressure they're under too.

Geoffrey Walker is a matron at Poole Hospital and represents the Royal College of Nursing in Dorset.

He says better support is needed across the board:

"I think in the long term, we have to invest heavily in recruitment, staffing and training of nurses. This has been heavily undervalued for many years now. We're actually seeing the repercussions of that with the amount of stress placed on an ever less staff."

Health secretary Matt Hancock says the mental health of intensive care unit staff is a 'very significant problem'.

Dorset's RCN representative, Geoffrey Walker staff need help now:

"The original wave was bad enough, the second wave is worse - there's been no opportunity for staff to recover or take a breath. Working in such high-charged situations takes a terrible toll not only on the physical, but the mental health."

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• covid19
• Dorset
• Royal College of Nursing