British Dental Association backs new measures to reduce stress among healthcare professionals
The British Dental Association has backed new measures to tackle stress among healthcare workers. More than 30 recommendations have been suggested by Health Education England in a bid to clamp down on work-related stress and improve wellbeing in the healthcare sector.
The NHS Staff and Learners’ Mental Wellbeing Commission report highlights a series of steps that can be taken to tackle stress and create healthier workplaces. Some of the most significant measures include appointing an NHS workforce wellbeing guardian at board-level and an NHS workplace leader, assessing and reviewing information about NHS careers and identifying potential career options for people who take an interest in working in healthcare.
According to Health Education England, the NHS should be encouraged to act as an employer that demonstrates the values it promotes within the wider community. Evidence suggests that the NHS, which employs 1.4 million people, could do more to promote compassion and care and look after the staff that make such a positive difference to so many people on a daily basis.
The report has been welcomed by the British Dental Association, which suggests that the most recent research supports the findings of other polls. A BDA study revealed that almost 50% of dentists said that they are struggling to cope with the daily demands of their job due to stress. Most cited the most stressful aspects of their role as a fear of regulation and litigation and working under too much pressure. Chair, Mick Armstrong, said that it was “refreshing” for officials to be taking note of the pressures faced by people working within the healthcare industry.
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