Speaker turns listener on visit to special hub dealing with Covid frontline workers

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, paid a call on Lancashire and South Cumbria's Resilience Hub in his Chorley constituency to see for himself the important work being done there.

The hub has helped more than 800 individuals and almost 1,400 people in team-based sessions since it opened in July last year to support public sector workers and their immediate families with the psychological impact of the pandemic.

Sir Lindsay was given a tour of the unit at Tudor House in Euxton Lane and met staff, trainees and some of the service users who have been helped.

After his visit the MP said: "The pandemic has touched the lives of many people and the effects will be felt for years to come. So it was a reassuring to visit the hub today and listen first-hand to the stories of those that have been helped by the work that takes place there.

“I am really pleased that the service is offered in Lancashire and from speaking with staff, it was clear that they are deeply committed to the service they offer.

"I would urge anyone who works within the public sector and is struggling, to make contact and access the help offered.”

The hub – full name Lancashire Traumatic Stress Service – has a team of 17 clinicians and five support staff.

Dr Gita Bhutani, Director for Psychological Professions at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and lead for the Resilience Hub, said: “We are now living with Covid as part of everyday life but we know that the pandemic has undoubtedly had an effect on people’s mental health.

"I would like to reassure public sector workers that it may only be now that things have calmed down somewhat, you start to feel you’re struggling. To those people, we are still here for you.

"It was great to welcome Sir Lindsay to the hub today, particularly given the campaigning he has done on mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.

"I was really proud to tell him about the support we have offered to frontline workers, individuals who struggled with the shift to working from home and the changing demands of their jobs and sadly, to those who have lost loved ones.

"Our team have also helped people who haven’t felt quite like their usual selves, through to those who have been really struggling to get by day-to-day.

"My main message is that if you work in a public sector role and you need help dealing with the psychological effects of working through the pandemic, please get in contact with us.”

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care.

Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust, which also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community, was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites.

For more information visit www.lscresiliencehub.nhs.uk, call 01772 520228 or email [email protected].