The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Medical Sector: How COVID Illuminated Mental Health

 COVID… The only thing people talk about nowadays. Where is the concern about those side-lined: from postponed treatments and premature deaths to the lack of mental health awareness? How many people suffered in silence while shielding at home alone? “Nursing the Pandemic: Mental Health”, run by the Royal College of Nurses, discussed the impact of COVID on the mental health industry. Mental health is one that resonates with me, and I hoped to learn about how it affected those who were directly battling on the front line. For them it is unthinkable, traumatic and exhausting, and hearing from nursing staff makes reality more impactful. I have battled mental health, and this past year not being able to see friends or enjoy college life as an independent adult has affected my emotional wellbeing. Days move slow, weeks fast, and my battle allows me to appreciate the NHS staff so much more. Through this talk, I hoped to strengthen my understanding of long-term objectives of improving mental health beyond the pandemic. 

 

Facilitating the education of mental health awareness was Catherine Gamble, Head of Nursing Education, Practice and Research at South West London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust conversed with front line workers. Accompanying her was Douglas Hamandishe, a mental health nurse, and Roland Dix, a Consultant Nurse in Psychiatric Intensive Care & Secure Recovery in the NHS Trust, both spoke about their experiences during the COVID pandemic. During their interviews, they covered topics about PPE, NHS funding, Government guidelines, vulnerability and the future. They first shared their initial reactions to the outbreak in Wuhan back in 2019. Both seemed calm, taking into account the distance of China and the history of SARS. SARS and MERS didn’t spread as rapidly, so why become so concerned about this new virus? Not until the UK Government announced lockdown measures in late March did people start to believe that COVID was serious. This was the first fault, of many, that the UK failed in addressing the novel Coronavirus. The Government appeared far from transparent, creating mixed messages about the virus and approaches to staying safe. It showed reluctance to distribute PPE, jeopardizing the health of frontline workers who were instrumental in fighting this virus, and the public who received murky guidance about lockdown measures. 

 

Roland spoke about the comradery and support doctors gave each other, and the public showed for everyone. He alluded to “Clap for Carers” every Thursday, which always gave me shivers when I heard car horns and loud pans. I partook in this event and hearing the gratitude of these nurses in this talk gave me purpose and determination to keep up morale of frontline workers. This morale continued in this talk because, as Catherine Gamble said, she purposely chose male doctors to spread awareness of male mental health to remove the stigma behind male vulnerability. I thought that this intention was moving because I know many men who have struggled to express their emotions which ultimately led them to a worse situation. But, even if unravelling the stigma of male mental health is important, how would having a female perspective help this talk? After all, they also had to leave their families and did witness traumatic events. They also had childcare to think about. I personally thought that having a male and female perspective would have strengthened the talk to show mental health from both genders. However, Douglas brought in gender roles, alluding to “the man of the house” while the women are at work, referencing unemployment during this uncertain time, and silent suffering. Him discussing the economic, mental and familial struggles he faced during COVID moved me. He felt torn between his family and work and often emphasised priorities: do I want to keep my family safe or keep us financially stable? A question many people asked themselves.

 

Furthermore, these questions resonated when thinking about PPE and funding. Doctors have always been instrumental in society, but now they are crucial. Bringing in retired nurses, students in medical school, and doctors in different fields, displayed the desperation the UK was in. But was the public and government valuing them as they should? No. Value is key: if someone feels supported, they will have more purpose for their job. This didn’t happen, and Douglas spoke about the lack of training with PPE and knowledge of the mental health sector. He questioned how mental health will go forward if people are covered in PPE and adhering to social distancing. How will mental health patients receive the comfortable care they used to get? One way is to research mental health, not side-lining important studies which can indirectly help the COVID crisis. After listening to the feelings of undervaluation, I remembered a viral video of a nurse who had finished a 24-hour shift going to the supermarket with special NHS hours. But when she got there, there was no food or respect for her service; only greed for produce. When listening to the nurses speak, their struggles of fatigue, emotion and support, I thought of this nurse. I thought of those who refuse to wear masks, endangering vulnerable people and the over-capacity hospitals. I thought of the images of nurses with scars on their faces from wearing protective layers for hours. PPE is essential, funding is essential, and the government must do everything to obtain protection for those protecting the nation. 

 

Listening to firsthand experiences of nurses who witnessed disturbing events gave me a newfound respect for their profession. During this talk I thought of my friends who were thrust into ICU units and responsible for people’s survivals. I remember the many documentaries of filled ICU units in Italy with nurses sleeping in scrubs between shifts. I commend Douglas and Roland for sharing their vulnerable thoughts to this webinar, let alone on BBC. But the real questions lie in the future of the NHS and medical sector. The Government failed to contain the spread of COVID, leaving the nation in shambles. This jeopardised the structure of the NHS. While this public, affordable health care, is great for the public, it comes at a cost. How will COVID change the approach to public healthcare if the government doesn’t provide more funding? How will each division within the NHS alter their approach to accommodate for outbreaks like this? And, in my opinion, what is the cost of this pandemic on other sectors of healthcare? I have read about the delaying of cancer treatments, diagnoses and ER visits. Will COVID bring to light the neglection of mental health and less routine medical procedures? I hope not. Mental health contributed many indirect deaths due to economic loss, increase in substance abuse and isolation. Something must be done about this to prevent younger people enduring the long-lasting consequences. Mental health treatment must improve, not just for the nurses facilitating sessions, but for those in silence.