What to do and say if you or a colleague are in mental distress

The pandemic has been hard on everyone but especially for nurses and healthcare staff who’ve been under immense pressure.

Many nurses have reported the toll of COVID-19 on their mental health - and some have hit rock bottom.

Where do you go for help if you, a colleague or loved one is in mental distress and or having suicidal thoughts? And what should you say and not say?

The Laura Hyde Foundation, set up in memory of the eponymous naval nurse who died by suicide in 2016, has launched a free suicide prevention resource signposting nurses and other first responder staff to support.

Its guide was launched in response to the number of nurses – 226 – who contacted the charity’s helpline during the pandemic having attempted suicide.

The foundation’s chair and Laura’s cousin, Liam Barnes, joins the podcast to talk about overcoming stigma and offering the best support for those in need.

In this episode, he also tells Nursing Standard editor Flavia Munn about how the charity provides funding for initiatives offering mental health support.

Find out more: https://laurahydefoundation.org/suicide-prevention

Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or emailing [email protected]

For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

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