Please spare a thought for health workers who are not directly fighting the virus.
I work in a MH crisis team. It would seem that every other healthcare sector is giving our number out to anyone with CV anxiety and we are overwhelmed.
We have staff off self isolating and poorly. Usually we have 4/5 staff on day shifts. Yesterday it was just me.
We have a caseload if 30+ patients in crisis who need contact at least once a day.
The phone did. not. stop.
People are phoning in tears and I’m having to tell them I don’t have time to talk. They get angry and tell me I’m shit, MH services are shit etc.
We offer alternative numbers to people but when they have been given our number and then we suggest they should call elsewhere they feel dismissed.
We work with people who are desperately ill, at imminent risk of serious harm to themselves or others, and need our constant support.
I am dreading going in tomorrow.
Please please make yourselves and your family aware of local support lines that have been set up to specifically deal with CV anxiety.
We are putting together packs to make available to people with self-help guides and support line numbers but struggling to find the time to get them together and post them.
Support each other and please understand that it is not just medical wards that are busy and struggling.