World at war: The journey continues

Summary

I'd like to share with you how SISOS is supporting staff at The Royal Free Trust during the coronavirus pandemic.

Content

Today I was both humbled and deeply moved. The Royal Free Trust (RFT) continue to take the health and well-being of it's staff seriously.

I’m proud to say I’m one of them. In response to COVID-19,  a multidisciplinary group have been tasked to specifically look at how staff can be supported through the pandemic.

It recognises that the support will need to be multi-faceted and my role as the founder of SISOS (Safety Incident Supporting Our Staff) and present SISOS lead will be to help provide emotional peer-led support for our staff alongside chaplaincy and varied mental health professionals. 

Released from my clinical role (scrub nurse) for the foreseeable future, I will  be able to focus on, and will endeavour to promote and support, the emotional safety of my colleagues Trust wide. The mental health first aid training I undertook in preparation for my SISOS role will surely be put to the test. None of us know what obstacles and challenges we will have to face, both in our private and professional lives, as we race off track, gathering speed and moving towards an unknown destination.

By and large, I envisage the peer support SISOS provides will be achieved remotely: telephone, WhatsApp, Facetime, text, emails. The experience we have gained allows us some insight into how this support will be received and I feel positive.

Who could possibly have predicted two years ago when SISOS first evolved  the events of the last few weeks. Implementing, embedding and sustaining a peer support initiative has thrown up many challenges but we are reassured that our colleagues can be confident of genuine emotional support from peers who are guided and supported by professionals within a Trust which cares. 

SISOS: caring is our passion

Human being is our highest banding

Read my other blogs on the SISOS journey:

Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four