Meet team who rose to the challenge
Staff faced surge in demand for services
LOOKING AFTER our mental health has never been more important than during these difficult pandemic times.
The last 20 months have seen a surge in demand for mental health services with people anxious about their health and that of their family and friends.
Mental health services have had to adapt to meet the increased demands, while maintaining expert care for those who are struggling to cope with lockdowns and restrictions.
The Psychological Resilience Hub scooped the Care for Mental Health Award after being set up by NHS Grampian in response to the pandemic.
The service supports people, including NHS Grampian staff, with their mental health and wellbeing at a time of unprecedented psychological distress.
This innovative virtual service – the only one of its kind in Scotland –was quickly and efficiently up and running within a few weeks thanks to the hard work and determination of NHS and third sector staff.
It has gone on to support more than 4,500 people in the Grampian region, with the dedicated team sharing their skills and experience of mental health issues related to or made worse by the pandemic.
The teamhave, despite dealing with their own experiences of the pandemic, strived to ensure that staff, children, young people, adults and older adults can access support for mental health and wellbeing.
Dr Simon Lloyd, a consultant clinical psychologist who leads the hub, said: “We are really excited to get this awardas it is validation and recognition for the team, who have worked over andabove their day jobs.
“We have helped thousands of people, who can refer themselves. The teamhas supported other services such as GPs, where long waiting times are a concern.
“We also made sure our team members were supported with regular meetings and temperature checks for the stresses and strains in their own lives as well as dealing with people who are struggling with their mental health.”
NURSE AWARD
IT TAKES a great deal of skill and compassion to deliver high quality palliative care that takes account of people’s needs and preferences towards the end of life.
Eleanor Grant was given the Nurse Award for her work as a single-handed palliative care nurse specialist in University Hospital Wishaw, NHSLanarkshire.
A nurse for 35 years, she worked for ten years in St Andrew’s Hospice, Airdrie, before rejoining the NHS to make sure hospital patients also received good palliative and end-of-life care.
During her career she has cared for thousands of patients in pain and those nearing the end of their lives, supporting them and their families.
She has put in hours of effort to get them home, to ease their symptoms and to tell them the reality of their illnesses, while inspiring hope.
Eleanor is remarkably skilled in providing palliative care to those patients in most needand she also supports and teaches the whole workforce of the hospital. She is an incredible ex a mple of hum a nity, treating everyone the same, with integrity, humour and compassion.
When C OVID-19 hit, Eleanor eased the symptoms of the patients with greatest suffering, comforted families and supported staff in distress during a time when the p a n d emic gre a tly affected visiting for patients.
“This award is for all the nurses in Wishaw General,” said Eleanor, who was in tears accepting her trophy. “I’m delighted to be nominated.
“It’s rewarding to help people with their palliative care needs and support their families.”
Providing high quality person-centred palliative care has always been an important priority for NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, who want everyone who needs palliative and end of life care to access it, regardless of age, gender, diagnosis, social group or location.
Caring and professional staff such as Eleanor can help people, their families and carers plan care and support towards the end of life to support wellbeing and independence for as long as possible.
It takes a great deal of skill and compassion to deliver high quality palliative care