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Why public sector workers need a Samaritans-style helpline Why public sector workers need a Samaritans-style helpline
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When we are vulnerable and in need of care for a serious problem, we want to be able to turn to someone we trust, who can give us their full and undivided attention. One of the measures of a civilised society is the capacity to care for its citizens in times of suffering and distress.When we are vulnerable and in need of care for a serious problem, we want to be able to turn to someone we trust, who can give us their full and undivided attention. One of the measures of a civilised society is the capacity to care for its citizens in times of suffering and distress.
In the UK, a large part of this fabric of compassion is to be found in our public sector health and social services. Current political debate about public sector care is dominated by the issues of funding and competencies. But this neglects a much more fundamental concern about the quality of all care: the fact that even if a doctor, nurse, social worker or therapist has the time, training and skill to help, they may not always be in a state of mind to do so fully.In the UK, a large part of this fabric of compassion is to be found in our public sector health and social services. Current political debate about public sector care is dominated by the issues of funding and competencies. But this neglects a much more fundamental concern about the quality of all care: the fact that even if a doctor, nurse, social worker or therapist has the time, training and skill to help, they may not always be in a state of mind to do so fully.
Caring in the public sector is draining emotional work, especially when it is done well. It involves tuning in to and identifying with an unpredictable stream of troubled people who are struggling with a range of conditions and situations – some of them life-threatening. The responsibility of having people’s lives in your hands inevitably has a cumulative emotional cost, but this is rarely factored into discussions about how care services should be designed and delivered.Caring in the public sector is draining emotional work, especially when it is done well. It involves tuning in to and identifying with an unpredictable stream of troubled people who are struggling with a range of conditions and situations – some of them life-threatening. The responsibility of having people’s lives in your hands inevitably has a cumulative emotional cost, but this is rarely factored into discussions about how care services should be designed and delivered.
Our public model of the ideal professional care-giver is of someone who can be endlessly human to others without needing anything human in return. All the attention of policy-making and strategy is on the quality of care delivered and almost none of it on the quality of support for those providing that care. And yet the two are inextricably linked.Our public model of the ideal professional care-giver is of someone who can be endlessly human to others without needing anything human in return. All the attention of policy-making and strategy is on the quality of care delivered and almost none of it on the quality of support for those providing that care. And yet the two are inextricably linked.
Staff ill health costs the health and social care sectors £45m a year, yet no one thinks to ask questions like “how much human distress can a professional hold in their mind before they reach their limit?” or “how much time and back-up do professionals need at work to process the daily emotional impact of what they are doing so that they can carry on doing it?” Staff ill health costs £45m a year in the social care sector alone, yet no one thinks to ask questions like “how much human distress can a professional hold in their mind before they reach their limit?” or “how much time and back-up do professionals need at work to process the daily emotional impact of what they are doing so that they can carry on doing it?”
It is a false economy to fail to provide the support people need. By pursuing target-driven and finance-driven policies that take no account of the mind of the carer, successive governments have succeeded only in ratcheting up the emotional burden on professionals. This only leads to less efficiency, as more staff burn out, go on sick leave or simply leave the service altogether, often having to be replaced by more expensive agency staff.It is a false economy to fail to provide the support people need. By pursuing target-driven and finance-driven policies that take no account of the mind of the carer, successive governments have succeeded only in ratcheting up the emotional burden on professionals. This only leads to less efficiency, as more staff burn out, go on sick leave or simply leave the service altogether, often having to be replaced by more expensive agency staff.
Studies have found that suicide rates for the caring professions who bear witness to so much human trauma and misery are significantly above the average. In such a culture, recruitment also becomes harder and so a vicious cycle is created, leading to ever-increasing work for fewer people and an ever-increasing human and financial cost.Studies have found that suicide rates for the caring professions who bear witness to so much human trauma and misery are significantly above the average. In such a culture, recruitment also becomes harder and so a vicious cycle is created, leading to ever-increasing work for fewer people and an ever-increasing human and financial cost.
People’s goodwill and compassion are being taken advantage of. They are being worked into the ground by an oppressive system that expects more and more of them – but nobody wins as a result of this. Public sector staff go into the job because they want to give the best possible support to others, but if you are overloaded yourself and not supported, you cannot do your best.People’s goodwill and compassion are being taken advantage of. They are being worked into the ground by an oppressive system that expects more and more of them – but nobody wins as a result of this. Public sector staff go into the job because they want to give the best possible support to others, but if you are overloaded yourself and not supported, you cannot do your best.
This was why we realised there was an urgent need for a practical way to inject some emotional back-up for those people working in the frontline of our health and social care services. We are calling for a national helpline and website with confidential chat rooms available 24/7 for public sector staff.This was why we realised there was an urgent need for a practical way to inject some emotional back-up for those people working in the frontline of our health and social care services. We are calling for a national helpline and website with confidential chat rooms available 24/7 for public sector staff.
As well as create supportive peer groups and online spaces within and across professions, it could also flag up any organisationswhere staff were experiencing problems in significant numbers and where there might be toxic working environments.As well as create supportive peer groups and online spaces within and across professions, it could also flag up any organisationswhere staff were experiencing problems in significant numbers and where there might be toxic working environments.
This might be potentially life-saving – for patients and clients, but also staff. It could also help to restore some sense of belonging to public sector care providers in the NHS and social services.This might be potentially life-saving – for patients and clients, but also staff. It could also help to restore some sense of belonging to public sector care providers in the NHS and social services.
This facility – we call it “carer care” – must be independent of government and could be funded through professional bodies and trade unions. There has never been a time this has been needed more.This facility – we call it “carer care” – must be independent of government and could be funded through professional bodies and trade unions. There has never been a time this has been needed more.
Mike Bush is a lecturer and consultant in mental health; Martin Seager is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapistMike Bush is a lecturer and consultant in mental health; Martin Seager is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist