MACMILLAN NURSE STEADIES NHS STAFF HAVING A ‘WOBBLE’ DURING CORONAVIRUS AS PART OF NEW MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AT CAMBRIDGESHIRE HOSPITALS
A senior Macmillan nurse is at the heart of efforts in Cambridgeshire to provide counselling and emotional support to overwhelmed healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.
Lynda Hall, the Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse at North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAngliaFT), said she has never known such ‘challenging’ times in almost four decades of caring for patients and their families, 20 years of which she has spent as Lead Cancer Nurse.
She has seen first-hand the strain the pandemic places on NHS staff, as they balance caring for high levels of extremely ill Covid-19 patients with delivering urgent and vital care for those with other medical conditions.
As a veteran Macmillan nurse who has helped guide thousands of cancer patients through the emotional turmoil of diagnosis and treatment — and a qualified counsellor to boot — Lynda was quick to volunteer her skills when NWAngliaFT announced a new mental health initiative to support NHS staff through the pandemic.
Lynda is now part of the team manning new emotional wellbeing spaces for staff — known as ‘wobble rooms’ — in the mornings, evenings and weekends at Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals.
She fits this around her work as the Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse, which of late has involved adapting cancer services to ensure people living with cancer can continue to receive urgent treatment and care during the pandemic, as well as personalised support with all their physical, emotional and practical needs.
Any member of staff can access confidential support from the team, regardless of whether their worries relate to their professional or personal circumstances. It is hoped that the new spaces, which remain open during the day for anyone needing a breather, will remind workers that ‘having a wobble is okay’.
Furnished with comfortable chairs and resources to support staff in managing their physical and mental wellbeing, the rooms are similar to spaces being set up across the UK as NHS Trusts seek to support staff with the emotional toll of working through the crisis.
Speaking about the need for the rooms, Lynda said: “We are trying our best to support staff through these challenging times and reassure them that it’s okay to not be okay.
“When people pop in to see us, it’s often because they are feeling anxious and overwhelmed and just need somewhere safe to offload their worries.
“It’s not just about the pressures of being on the frontline. Staff are also having to deal with all the challenges that lockdown presents outside of work, such as caring for vulnerable relatives and making sure the cupboards are well-stocked.
“For many, the value of the rooms, which are open seven days a week, is just knowing that they are there, should they need to use them.
“We need to support our staff so they can support our patients.”
In parallel, Lynda has been overseeing changes to enable cancer care to continue during the pandemic, including a large-scale shift to telephone appointments that is designed to protect the health of people living with cancer, as well as staff. Improving cancer care is a routine part of her job, but not usually at such breakneck speed.
She said: “Cancer has always been a rewarding but challenging area to work in, but this must be the most challenging time I have ever experienced.
“We’ve had to look at some services working differently and consider how staff with appropriate skills can be redeployed to other areas of need.
“Thankfully everyone has been really flexible and willing, but communication is key — I have a daily teleconference with the Oncology Lead, Divisional Operational Manager and department Matron to take stock as the situation changes and make sure we’re all clear on the priorities of the day.
“Initially this whole situation felt very surreal, but it has become more and more real as we see how our services are changing. Cancer outpatients appointments have moved from face to face to telephone appointments where possible, in a huge piece of work that required everyone to pull together.
“Staff have been calling patients to explain the changes and reassure them about the continuation of their care and treatment, which is so important because specialist nurses have been picking up on increased levels of anxiety among their patients.”
Madeline Knox, Macmillan Partnership Manager in Cambridgeshire, said:
“In this unprecedented situation, the way our Macmillan professionals have responded and adapted to the crisis is simply fantastic.”
Jo Catlin, Assistant Director of Organisational Development at NWAngliaFT and mastermind of the Trust’s Wobble Rooms, welcomed spaces where staff can “share their worries…say it out loud, cry a little, talk it through or just sit quietly, whatever feels right for them.
“We liked the idea of giving the name ‘Wobble Rooms’ to our new wellbeing spaces, because they remove the stigma of seeking support and help during this time.
“Everyone has a wobble now and again, so this is our way of reassuring staff that we will be there for them if they do.”
To donate to Macmillan Cancer Support, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/emergency or call 0300 1000 200.
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For further information, please contact:
Talia Samuelson, Macmillan External Communications Officer — East of England
07703 676493| tsamuelson@macmillan.org.uk
About Macmillan Cancer Support
We’re here to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can, providing physical, financial and emotional support. So whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you.
Comprehensive information and support, including Macmillan’s latest guidance and advice on the impact of coronavirus on cancer care, is available on www.macmillan.org.uk/coronavirus.
The charity’s online community continues to provide invaluable emotional and peer support. The free Macmillan Support Line is open seven days a week between 8am — 8pm on 0808 808 00 00.
