Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Coronavirus: Mental health hotline for NHS staff

Coronavirus: Mental health hotline for NHS staff

The NHS is launching a hotline to support and advise healthcare staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Volunteers from charities including Hospice UK, the Samaritans and Shout, will listen to concerns and offer psychological support.

The phone line will be open between 07:00 and 23:00 every day, while the text service will be available around the clock.

The phone number is 0300 131 7000 or staff can text FRONTLINE to 85258.

It comes as staff face increasing pressure to care for rising numbers of patients who are seriously ill with the virus.

Since the outbreak began, more than 6,000 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus and among them are front-line medical staff.

As well as workload pressures and the emotional toll, some staff say they have had to work in situations where they feel unsafe because of a lack personal protective equipment (PPE).

Prof Tom Dening from the Institute of Mental Health at the University of Nottingham said: "The mental health of NHS staff is going to be absolutely crucial in the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Staff are being exposed to high levels of personal risk, long hours in difficult environments clad in PPE, and also the possibility of something known as moral injury, which is the distressing awareness you may feel when you know you can't meet all the needs of the people you are trying to care for.

"This combination of factors would rattle even the most resilient of us."

While staff can still talk to each other and their managers, the NHS hotline will offer support outside the workplace.

There will be 1,500 volunteers to support the 1.4 million nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers in the NHS.

Anyone who requires further help will be signposted to services ranging from practical and financial assistance to specialist bereavement and psychological support, says the service.

Danny Mortimer, from NHS Employers, said: "As the pandemic continues, our people will face new and growing challenges on a daily basis, and it's therefore more important than ever that they are able to access resources to help them manage their wellbeing, in a way that suits their needs."

Prerana Issar, chief people officer for the NHS, said: "We need to do everything we can to support our incredible NHS people as they care for people through this global health emergency."

Meanwhile, a group of mental health experts, led by Dr Michael Bloomfield at University College London, have issued advice and a video for front-line healthcare workers on how to cope with stress during the Covid-19 crisis:

Give yourself permission to take regular breaks during your shifts

Eat, drink and sleep as well as you can

Try to use strategies that have helped you cope with stressful situations in the past

Take time out between shifts

Stay in touch with friends and family - video-call and phone them if you can't see them in person

Engage in physical activity

Maintain a routine as much as possible

Plan regular activities that make you feel good, and tasks that take your mind off the crisis

Avoid unhelpful coping strategies such as smoking, alcohol or other drugs

Try to limit the time spent watching, reading or listening to the news

Reach out for help if you need support
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×