A free mental health support service for doctors has been extended to all frontline healthcare workers, including pharmacy professionals, in Wales.
Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced on Thursday (16) that the Welsh government is providing an additional £1m to expand the Health for Health Professionals Wales service to provide support and advice for all frontline NHS Wales staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Run by Cardiff University, the service offers a confidential helpline staffed by healthcare professionals, face-to-face counselling sessions and guided self-help tools and online resources.
Making the announcement, Gething said: “COVID-19 is an unprecedented event. Our NHS staff are at the frontline of the response, caring for and saving the lives of patients in NHS settings across Wales.
“The health and wellbeing of our all our dedicated NHS Wales staff is paramount at all times but especially so during this acutely challenging time – so it’s vital we do all we can to care for them.”
The expanded service will be provided through retired doctors and other healthcare staff, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who have come forward to support the NHS during the pandemic.
Senior academics presently working full time in an academic role will provide additional support.
