A MENTAL health service has been launched for health and care workers who may be struggling during the pandemic.

Staff in Mind is a confidential NHS service for staff experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties in Sussex.

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It has been developed by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of Sussex Health and Care Partnership - an alliance that brings together all NHS organisations and councils that look after public health and social care across the county.

Psychologist and clinical director Dr Juliet Couche said: “Health and care staff are consistently going above and beyond while caring for patients during Covid-19.

The Argus:

“They are working under huge, sustained pressure and are doing an incredible job, but they are not superheroes, they are human.

“In order to help staff continue caring for local communities, we need to look after their mental health and wellbeing.

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“An important part of this is encouraging them to seek psychological and emotional support when they need it. Staff in Mind is for every health and care staff member across Sussex, from Intensive Care Unit nurse to hospital porter.”

Staff are being invited to complete an online self-assessment at www.sussexstaffinmind.nhs.uk to measure how they are feeling.

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They will be offered a more detailed follow-up assessment with a mental health practitioner, access to psychological treatment if they need it and an agreed follow-up to check on progress.

A recent survey of 900 health and care staff across Sussex showed more than 60 per cent have found their work both highly stressful and tiring over the last six months.

A third of this group reported feeling very stressed and tired.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown almost one in five adults - 19.2 per cent - are likely to be experiencing some form of depression during Covid-19, which is almost double the rate compared with before the pandemic.