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Experiences and emotional strain of NHS frontline workers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Author

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  • Kristina L Newman
  • Yadava Jeve
  • Pallab Majumder

Abstract

Background: The mental health of the population has been negatively affected due to the pandemic. Frontline healthcare workers with increased exposure to COVID diagnosis, treatment and care were especially likely to report psychological burden, fear, anxiety and depression. Aim: To elicit how working as a health professional during the pandemic is impacting on the psychological wellbeing of frontline staff. Method: United Kingdom population of healthcare workers were approached by advertising the survey via social media, NHS trusts and other organisations. Open-ended survey answers were qualitatively explored using content analysis. Results: Survey collected data from 395 NHS staff was developed into three themes; (1) Despair and uncertainty: feeling overwhelmed trying to protect everyone, (2) Behavioural and psychological impact: affecting wellbeing and functioning and (3) Coping and employer support: getting the right help. Conclusion: NHS staff felt enormous burden to adequately complete their professional, personal and civil responsibility to keep everyone safe leading to negative psychological and behavioural consequences and desire for NHS employers to offer better support. As the pandemic progresses, the results of this study may inform NHS employers on how optimum support can be offered to help them cope with negative psychological consequences of the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristina L Newman & Yadava Jeve & Pallab Majumder, 2022. "Experiences and emotional strain of NHS frontline workers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(4), pages 783-790, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:68:y:2022:i:4:p:783-790
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640211006153
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Julio Torales & Marcelo O’Higgins & João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia & Antonio Ventriglio, 2020. "The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(4), pages 317-320, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anthony Lloyd & Daniel Briggs & Anthony Ellis & Luke Telford, 2024. "Critical Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic from the NHS Frontline," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 29(1), pages 83-100, March.
    2. Karina Soubra & Camilla Tamworth & Zeast Kamal & Clare Brook & Dawn Langdon & Jo Billings, 2023. "Health and social care workers experiences of coping while working in the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic: One year on," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(4), pages 1-27, April.
    3. Liz McDonnell & Amy Clarke & Alison Phipps, 2025. "‘They Should have been Looking after People for a Long Time’: Human Giving and Generosity During COVID-19, in Austerity Britain," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 30(1), pages 43-58, March.
    4. Weziak-Bialowolska, Dorota & Lee, Matthew T. & Cowden, Richard G. & Bialowolski, Piotr & Chen, Ying & VanderWeele, Tyler J. & McNeely, Eileen, 2023. "Psychological caring climate at work, mental health, well-being, and work-related outcomes: Evidence from a longitudinal study and health insurance data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).

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