2 September 2021

We are here for staff who are affected by the situation in Afghanistan. You may be working with refugees arriving in the UK, or you may have family and friends in Afghanistan and are finding the situation upsetting and stressful. Whatever your needs, the Keeping Well service is here to support you.

 

Keeping Well North West London is available to anyone working in any NHS or care setting in Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, including:

  • Anyone employed by the NHS in acute, community and mental health Trusts
  • Anyone sub-contracted to do NHS work
  • Primary care staff and dental staff
  • Staff working in nursing homes and care homes (regardless of which organisation employs you)
  • Carers who visit people in their own homes
  • Carers who are paid via personal health budgets
  • London Ambulance Service staff
  • Volunteers

 

Keeping Well Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes is available to:

  • Anyone employed by the NHS in acute, community and mental health trusts and the Clinical Commissioning Group as well as Local Authority staff including social care and public health staff
  • Anyone sub-contracted to do NHS work
  • Primary care staff and dental staff
  • Staff working in nursing homes and care homes (regardless of which organisation employs you)
  • Carers who visit people in their own homes
  • Carers who are paid via personal health budgets
  • Those working in emergency services (such as the Police, Ambulance Service and Fire Brigade)
  • Teachers

 

We know that many of our staff will be directly and indirectly affected by the situation in Afghanistan. This may be due to having family and friends who are trying to escape or are unable to, or by being reminded of their own past trauma.

Some ways you can look after yourself at this time include:

  • Weigh up what you can affect and what you can’t. Focus on what you can do and consciously accept what you can’t change. It can help to discuss this with someone, and say this acceptance out loud.
  • Once you know what you can do, for example raising money for charity, work on that trusting this will bring some relief to those that are suffering.
  • Don’t neglect yourself during this time. Stay healthy for those that need you. Eat healthy; keep exercising; sleep enough and keep connected to others.
  • Along with connection, don’t suffer alone. Talk to friends and family. Seek formal counselling if you think this will help.
  • Although it is tempting to look for news on social media, this can make you feel worse. Be careful about sharing upsetting stories, as this will likely upset others. Set aside a small part of your day to look at news, say 30 minutes, and try not to exceed this amount of time.

 

If you need someone to talk to, you can contact the Keeping Well service using the details below.

 

Keeping Well North West London:

 

Keeping Well Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes:

 

Download a list of refugee resources (available in Farsi and Dari languages) including advice and guidance on mental health, emotional wellbeing and maternal health.