Two psychologists at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have been
shortlisted as finalists for the InsideOut Awards 2022 in the category of ‘Best New Mental Health Initiative’.
Fauzia Khan, Assistant Psychologist and Samina Allie, Chartered Psychologist have been recognised for the ‘Staying Well during COVID-19’ Wellbeing Workshop initiative that they pioneered at Hallam Street Hospital for all staff groups during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The workshops were used as an opportunity to help staff groups build a range of coping strategies that they could draw upon as a means of practising self-care, with staff given self-soothing boxes to take away to provide them with something more tangible to draw upon when putting the coping strategies into practice.
Creative activities made up the workshop content, including the use of natural objects such as pine cones and leaves, as well as miniature figures, imagery cards and felt-tips. These exercises allowed staff to creatively express their coping skills, and aspects of their personality outside of work.
Fauzia said: “It is such an honour and privilege to be shortlisted as finalists, and to have our staff wellbeing workshops recognised at a national level for the second time!
“We developed the workshops during what was an extremely challenging and difficult time for everyone, and we were so deeply touched by the overwhelming positive feedback and warm reception that they received from everyone. The success of the workshops is down to all our staff groups, without whom these workshops would not have been possible. On behalf of Samina and I would like to thank all of our Black Country Healthcare family for making it so special.”
Lydia Jones, Director of Therapes at the Trust said: “The workshops provided support to our staff through one of the biggest challenges faced in the NHS's history, ensuring staff mental health and wellbeing needs were met through local innovation such as this.
“The shortlist is testament to the huge team effort and all the hard work the both Fauzia and Samina have done and what we as a Trust continually aim to do in being fully committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our employees.”
The are about celebrating individuals and companies that have inspired positive change, true commitment and courageousness to enable real change within their field towards creating mentally healthier workplaces.
The awards are set to take place on Thursday 24 March at The Troxy, London.