Support your staff or team

We’ve collated a range of resources, research and advice for healthcare service leaders to support staff wellbeing.

Resources

StandBy – Support After Suicide

StandBy – Support After Suicide offers sources of support for those impacted by suicide. They offer postvention support after suicide for family, friends, colleagues, witnesses, responders, etc. You can visit the website or call them on 1300 727 247.

StandBy is delivered by Wellways throughout Western Victoria and provides support free of charge at a time and place that best suits those requesting the support. In addition, Wellways provides workshops and other training opportunities.

Access Victorian support services

IHI’s Psychological PPE poster

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement has developed recommendations for use by staff providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic using the concept of “psychological PPE” (personal protective equipment) — individual and system-level actions owned by unit and team leaders that provide protection and support for staff’s mental health that can be deployed both before providing care and after a shift has ended. The visual graphic is designed to be posted for staff to see and use daily, and for team leaders to reference and use to create the enabling conditions for key recommendations to be successful. ​

Leading Kindness COVID-19 Toolkit

Developed by doctors in training for their peers during the second lockdown in Victoria during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, the Leading Kindness COVID-19 Toolkit is great example of implementing a wellbeing initiative by Monash Health.

How to ask R U OK?

R U OK? has published a guide to asking and responding to the question “Are you ok?”

Releasing Team Creativity

Michael West is a professor of organisational psychology. In his TEDTalk he describes supporting ourselves in a busy, modern workplace.

Set up a staff resus trolley

A ‘staff resus trolley’ can boost staff morale and performance and is a simple, low cost intervention. To find how to set one up, visit WRaP EM.

WorkWell Toolkit

Work is a big part of our daily lives and can help to prevent mental ill-health by giving us a feeling of purpose and a sense of contribution. WorkSafe Victoria has created the WorkWell Toolkit to help manage work related factors in mental health.

Innovation Network

Especially suited to the public sector, managers can source toolkits to address aspects of work that impact employees’ wellbeing. By selecting 'Wellbeing' as an interest, you'll find tools on how to facilitate job sharing, building social contracts, advice from other managers, and more. Join the Innovation Network.

Bevington Group

Bevington Group specialises in process improvement and change management. Resources include archived webinars on resilience, leadership, and managing through turbulent times. Check out the Bevington Group resources.

Health Roundtable Workforce Wellbeing Improvement Group

Health Roundtable connects health services to share improvement innovations. Membership to their Improvement Group gives access to staff wellbeing assessment and tracking; wellbeing resources; and access to national clinician wellbeing data.

Wellness Designs

Wellness Designs helps services to develop, implement and maintain employee wellness strategies.

Centre for Clinical Interventions Self-Help Resources

The Centre for Clinical Interventions has published a range of modules and information packs related to various conditions affecting mental health. View the list of self help resources for mental health problems.

Suicide care resources

• Heads up has published Information for managers on suicide prevention.
• Beyond Blue has published information on supporting someone returning to work who has attempted suicide. 
• Developed by Suicide Prevention Australia, Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework teaches you how to promote wellbeing and intervene to reduce distress and suicidal behaviour at the workplace.

Research and analysis

Factors associated with midwives’ job satisfaction and experience of work

There is a lack of understanding of midwives’ experiences and job satisfaction. This study aimed to explore factors affecting Australian midwives’ job satisfaction and experience of work. 

Who is at risk of burnout

Burnout is an occupational phenomenon with the potential to affect a person’s physical and mental health, job satisfaction and quality of work. This article aimed to identify the prevalence of burnout among midwives. A total of 257/266 midwives (97%) responded. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian hospital-based nursing and midwifery educators

A qualitative descriptive study assessed the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nursing and midwifery educators across four large, multisite Australian health services. The study considered occupational and psychological impacts of COVID-19.

The road to renewal: five priorities for health and care

An analysis by the King’s Fund (UK) outlining higher level responses needed across healthcare following the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 and Workforce Wellbeing: A survey of the Australian nursing, midwifery, and care worker workforce

The Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre published the report COVID-19 and workforce wellbeing: A survey of the Australian nursing, midwifery, and care worker workforce. This research captures the wellbeing impact of the pandemic on our nursing and midwifery workforce.

Working Well in Wellington

The Working Well in Wellington project will test and identify a range of positive mental health strategies for shift workers in the Wellington Shire. The project will particularly focus on strategies that can be implemented in a regional setting.