Stress

[TrueWierdness]

I'm an HCP. I'm very stressed with work - Increased workload and demands have contributed to this. I know I'm not the only one in the team who's caseload etc..has massively increased due to funding changes and staffing levels dropping. I work part time but bring work home a lot of the time, and if I'm not working then I'm worrying about work.

I don't think anyone at work is aware of how much I'm struggling with stress and anxiety - think I'm able to hide it mostly. It's not impacting on patient care and I haven't had time off because of stress, but I don't know how much longer I can keep going.

Do I e-mail my team leader and service lead about how I'm feeling? I alluded to it in my appraisal but maybe I downplayed it a bit.

Thank you to anyone who replies.

Hi True. I feel your pain. It’s drip drip - as in the workload gradually increases so that uou question whether it’s normal and it’s just you.
I would definitely email your manager and ask to speak with them ASAP for a few reasons: 1) it needs to be documented that you are stressed due to workload - that way you have legal protection if you need it 2) if everyone soldiers on until they collapse the NHS will definitely fall - we need to be strong and assertive about what is reasonable and workable 3) if you are feeling it, then doubtless others in your team are too. Your speaking up may set in motion positive changes.
Don’t continue to suffer. There has to be limits on caseloads for everyone concerned, including the
patients.

I'm in the same position as is everyone in my team. Our workload is unreal, unmanageable and feels unsafe. We have individually informed management but have also got together to formally raise it as a team.

I agree with the post above, ask around and get together and raise concerns about caseloads for all the reasons above. I'm not sure of what they can do tbh as budgets are stretched to the max but at least you will have some protection. I'm considering leaving after 15 years as I don't see it getting any better unfortunately.

I would go to occie health and possibly wellbeing service.

Are you dr ? If so there are counselling services through BMA

Apologies I am a bit late to the thread but have only just discovered HCP chat! I too am getting increasingly stressed and anxious with work to the point I don't think it is sustainable but I think a few things have helped me that I have noticed when it is bad.

1. Meditation and yoga- this helps with the background low level anxiety
2. Self care- this includes above but also all the usual of exercise, eating well, seeing friends etc
3. Trying to book in enough things on your days off that you CAN'T do work from home
4. If you have a whole heap of things on your to do list set 1 day off to clear it a bit but then follow it up by a proper day off and make sure the things you are doing really need to be done right now- put the other stuff on the "later" list

I find when the more stressed I am, the more I bring work home and do things on my days off and this makes me even more stressed because my brain stays work focused. I don't know what your job is obviously but I think it is about separating out what is actually that urgent that you would really need to bring it home and what you are doing at home because you just feel there is too much to do at work which sometimes, just has to be allowed to put on the list and allowed to build up. If no one will die and your career will not be destroyed by not doing it then it can wait! The usual "learn to say no" comes in here too- are you taking on more than you have to because you feel like someone needs to? You are just one person and cannot save a department alone however hard you work whereas a department can break you quite easily!

If you fill your days off up with lovely things and outdoors activities I find work regresses a little to the back of my brain and when I DO sit down and do stuff even if it is on my days off, I do it more quickly, resent it less and am less anxious and stressed overall.

I am clearly not doing a great job of any of this this week as am insanely anxious and overwhelmed but I can recognise what I SHOULD be doing and what helps when I practice what I preach :)

Also if you work "part time" but actually end up working full time in reality would it help to increase your hours so that you actually get it all done but not bring work home? Again I don't know what role you have or if that would just increase the work further.

I think in healthcare you get into a bit of a vortex where the expectations of putting your whole life into your career take over and actually the quality of life we are leading outside work disappears and then what is the point? I don't know if this is the case for you also but I think I also get into a bit of a martyr groove where my friend/colleague will have to remind me that a) there are lots of other people in our department who can walk out the door and not give a shit so don't take it all on me and b) no one will die if a monthly teaching roster comes out 3 days late!

Acknowledge that this is not a lack of resilience etc on your part but a normal reaction to a stressful situation and that you need to work on everything BUT work to make it better!

Good luck and if you find any pearls of wisdom I am all ears because I am a bit of a disaster at the mo!