ABCD Chair attempts to boost ‘shaken morale’ amid second COVID wave
New “working patterns, staffing constraints and high intensity environments” have all contributed to impacting morale among healthcare professionals, according to the Chair of ABCD.
In a post on the organisation’s website, Dr Dipesh Patel said: “This new year, we find ourselves in perilous times managing a recurrent viral surge (resulting from a mutated strain) which seems to be steeper than the last.
“Morale has undoubtedly been shaken by the duration of altered working patterns, staffing constraints and high intensity environments we are working in.
“I have also witnessed tremendous courage, professionalism and resilience by medical staff which has made me proud to be working in medicine.”
He paid tribute to Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Registrar at the Royal College of Physicians, London, who recently passed away from COVID-19 calling it “sobering and extremely sad news”.
Dr Patel recognised that consultants might be pressure to redeploy diabetes specialist nursing teams and posted a link to the national document that recommends these services be maintained in COVID-19 wherever possible.
He also published a link to an article from the British society of Immunology, which he said might help address some “concerns regarding the proposed altered vaccine schedule”.
The third and final document Dr Patel posted was newly released published GIRFT guidance which was developed to help trusts improve the care of those with COVID-19.
Dr Patel added: “ABCD continues to monitor developments to help support colleagues working in the specialty. We can all be a little more positive in the knowledge we now have a third approved vaccine and effective anti -IL-6 therapies to save more lives and speed up patient recovery.
“I wish you, your colleagues and loved ones all keep well during this challenging time. I am sure, in time, we will be able to look back and be reassured that ‘the end was in sight and we all stood firm to make a difference’.”
To read the pst in full, click here.
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