Support now

This support line is here for when you’ve had a tough day, are feeling worried or overwhelmed, or maybe you have a lot on your mind and need to talk it through. Trained advisers can help with signposting and confidential listening.

Call: 0800 069 6222

Alternatively, you can text FRONTLINE to 85258 for support 24/7 via text.

We also have a confidential bereavement support line, operated by Hospice UK and free to access from 8:00am – 8:00pm, seven days a week.

A team of fully qualified and trained bereavement specialists are available to support you with bereavement and wellbeing issues relating to loss experienced through your work.

Call: 0300 303 4434

There is a team of fully qualified and trained professionals, all of whom are Tagalog speakers, ready to help you at our NHS Bereavement & Trauma Line for Filipino Staff. This assistance is available from anywhere in the country and is provided by Hospice UK.

Tagalog speaking specialist counsellors and support workers are available if colleagues:

• have experienced a bereavement
• wellbeing has been affected by witnessing traumatic deaths as part of your work
• need to discuss any other anxiety or emotional issues you may be experiencing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic

All calls will be treated in the strictest of confidence and this will be explained to you when you call. This service is available seven days a week, between 8:00am and 8:00pm. You do not need a referral.

To book a consultation, call: 0300 303 1115

A free service developed and funded by the Association of Christian Counsellors, who are offering up to 10 online or telephone counselling sessions to: 

• People working within the NHS who are directly impacted by COVID-19
• People working in residential care homes who have been impacted by caring for those with COVID-19
• Anyone who has been bereaved during this time

The confidential service is open to people of all beliefs and none, and you can ask to be matched on ethnicity. 

Find out more

We’ve partnered with Project 5 to make free 1-2-1, confidential support sessions available for our NHS people. Project 5 is led by Clinicians and coaches and can link you to professionals with the skills to assist at a time of crisis.

Find support at Project 5

Culturally Diverse and All Staff Virtual Staff Common Rooms

Colleagues in the national People Team in partnership with NHS Practitioner Health have been busy developing virtual Staff Common Rooms for NHS colleagues across the NHS and from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

This is an opportunity for our NHS people to come together virtually and to invest some time in supporting each other during these challenging times, regardless of job role, organisational context or hierarchy and includes all final year students who have been working on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Common Rooms are a safe and supportive environment hosted by an experienced and approved practitioner.
They are one-off meetings for one hour with a maximum of 10 NHS staff – although you are of course able to access them as often as you may feel to be helpful to yourself. Discussion in the room is guided by the participants and focusses on present and future coping and support.

They are an opportunity to share experiences and learning, with hosts also guiding people to additional support and resources.

Signing up to a Virtual Staff Common Room through Zoom

Currently operated Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 8:00pm at varying times to provide flexibility with further plans to increase to a 7days a week service with increased daily hours should demand require this.

To register, please visit our online events calendar where you will also see a range of events run by NHS England and NHS Improvement throughout the UK on a variety of topics.

Any queries, please email Communications Lead, Tyah Pinnock – [email protected]

Ground Rules, Hint and Tips

• It is important not to identify specific patients or places of work.
• You can identify yourself using your real name or a pseudonym.
• Chat (messaging) function is available.
• Your presence is appreciated and valued – you don’t have to speak if you don’t want to.

If anything is raised during the session that causes you concern please contact NHS Practitioner Health or telephone 0300 0303 300/111 (out of hours) or email [email protected]

Find a staff common room

Our aim is to equip NHS managers, supervisors and those with caring responsibilities for NHS people to confidently hold supportive and compassionate mental health and wellbeing conversations, during and beyond COVID-19.

Find out more

We recognise that this is a difficult time for our NHS people and we know that financial concerns have consistently been in the top 5 reasons our people call the free support helpline run by the Samaritans.

So, we’ve partnered with the Money Advice Service to bring you financial wellbeing support to help you manage your finances at home.

NHS people can also join one of our online financial wellbeing events

Find financial wellbeing support

Place2Be has launched a free programme of support and arts and craft resources for keyworker parents and carers, including all NHS colleagues, to support the mental health and wellbeing of their children.

Find out more about Place2Be

NHS staff have been given free access to a number of wellbeing apps from now until the end of March 2021 to support their mental health and wellbeing. Apps include Sleepio, Daylight, Unmind and Headspace

Access free self-help apps

The Department of Health & Social Care has developed additional, specific support available to those in Social Care, including unique access to:

• Support lines
• Mental health apps
• Bespoke online platform

Find out more about CARE

Recognising the increasing pressures on NHS staff, we have put together a range of information on substance misuse and gambling support available through a number of organisations.

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Find out more

Here you can find a short video collection designed to provide you with simple tools and techniques to reduce stress wherever you are and effectively using what little time you may have to attend to it.

Find out more

StartWell>EndWell was developed by North Bristol NHS Trust’s senior clinicians, lead psychologist for staff wellbeing, quality improvement team, and perform team during the early stages of covid19. StartWell>EndWell has been designed to provide a practical approach to support colleagues and  to promote effective teaming particularly during challenging periods.

Find out more