The first of a new type of support hub for staff has opened at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital.
The hub will provide a calm and welcoming space for staff to take time out from work, with staff encouraged to use it as a quiet space with no need for interaction.
A variety of easily accessible resources are also available for use, with colleagues on hand to provide support.
The hub is based in the Maggie’s Centre adjacent to the hospital.
Maggie’s has donated use of the building for health and social care staff during the pandemic.
The hub will initially operate from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, with plans to extend these times further and incorporate weekends, and will also open on public holidays. Refreshments will also be provided.
A further hub in Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline has also opened this week, operating seven days a week, which will also include a weekly programme of structured sessions to support wellbeing.
Additional support hubs are also in the process of being set up at Whyteman’s Brae and Stratheden Hospitals and consideration is being given to extending the network of hubs across Fife.
Linda Douglas, NHS Fife director of workforce, said: “The coronavirus pandemic places many additional demands on healthcare services and our staff.
“The mental and emotional wellbeing of our staff is vitally important and the hubs are a way to provide extra support to amazing staff who are delivering care to those that need it in the most difficult of times.
“The new support hub at Maggie’s is just one way we are connecting with staff, and we will be shortly rolling out similar facilities across Fife.
“A range of face-to-face, online and telephone support is already available across the organisation and we continue to build on these.
“We are extremely grateful to our friends at Maggie’s for their generosity in allowing us to use their centre at this unprecedented time.”
Wilma Brown, NHS Fife employee director, said: “The new support hub is a very welcome resource for staff and will provide great benefit at what is an extremely challenging time.
“Staff must have the opportunity to take some down time in a dedicated space for them, away from clinical areas, which has access to any additional resources and support that they need.”
An expanded Staff Listening Service has also just been launched by NHS Fife, providing space for staff to talk about their personal and professional experiences and feelings.
The service is available to all staff across all sites, as is the Staff Counselling Service.
