A circle of care: Reflections on supporting NHS hospital colleagues psychologically

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the wellbeing needs of all healthcare staff have been considered paramount to both patient and staff safety (The British Psychological Society Covid-19 Staff Wellbeing Group, 2020). In this context, a number of acute health trusts across the UK have updated health and wellbeing strategies, aiming to improve and prioritise access to formal psychological support for all staff (Croft et al, 2024; Cunningham and Jones, 2022). A network of staff psychological support professionals emerged and began meeting over this time. The network now includes 191 members from 42 different acute NHS Trusts. 80 members met face-to-face in November 2024 to discuss progress and challenges across the landscape in which they work. Key themes were highlighted such as optimal service models, the ongoing interaction with grief and loss in hospital systems, anti-racist practice and working with trauma. These reflections provide a valuable overview of the modern challenges faced and help point to future directions that could contribute to creating better prepared hospital systems, illuminating key directions in service development, research and acute trust initiatives.