标题：UK mental health professionals’ experiences, views and needs whilst supporting frontline health and social care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
摘要：The COVID-19 pandemic has had a well-documented impact on the mental health of frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs). However, little attention has been paid to the experiences of, and impact on, the mental health professionals who were rapidly tasked with supporting them. To explore UK mental health professionals’ experiences, views, and needs whilst working to support the wellbeing of frontline HSCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We completed interviews with 28 mental health professionals from varied professional backgrounds, career stages, and settings across the UK. Results: We found that mental health professionals were motivated and driven to develop new clinical pathways to support HSCWs they perceived as colleagues and many experienced professional growths. However, this also came at some costs, as they took on additional responsibilities and increased workloads, were anxious and uncertain about how best to support this workforce, and tended to neglect their own health and wellbeing. Many were professionally isolated and were affected vicariously by the traumas and moral injuries that healthcare workers talked about in sessions. Conclusions: We will discuss the urgent need to consider the mental wellbeing, training, and support of mental health professionals who are supporting frontline workers.
