Support for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE)
Making sure our colleagues working in the VCSE can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
All the services and support we offer through our Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub are available to everyone working in the health and wellbeing sector, including VCSE organisations. Whether you are a paid member of staff or a volunteer - this is for you!
Staff wellbeing is a top priority across West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership. No matter what job you do or where you are based.
Support for you when you need it
If you work in a health and care environment and are experiencing feelings that are difficult to cope with, our mental health workers are here to support you and find the extra help that is right for you.
The service is completely confidential, where you work, and offers advice and support that can help with a range of issues.
If you are worried about your mental or emotional wellbeing, you can use the self-referral option into our psychological assessment and therapy service, specially set up to help you.
The self-referral process asks you to complete a couple of questionnaires that might help you decide if such support would be useful for you at this time. If you choose to proceed, you can fill in a referral form that asks you to share a bit of information with us so that we can match your needs with a therapist that is best placed to help you.
You must complete the form yourself as it asks about your personal experience. The information will be forwarded securely to our therapy team who will seek to be in touch with you within 72 hours (excluding bank holidays) with next steps.
The Hub has opened a new message-taking phone service. If you are a member of staff or a volunteer working in a health and care service, you can call 0800 183 1488 to get signposting to self-help resources; ask for information about how to access group support including critical incident support for people and teams.
The answer machine is checked regularly and you can expect a call back within 72 working hours. You will need to leave your name, contact number, and a brief description of your query or request. Please note that the phone line is unmanned – it is a message-taking service.
What else do we offer to VCSE staff and volunteers?
The Hub offers a wide variety of support and resources around mental health and wellbeing. This includes:
Power of Communities
Our Power of Communities Programme is our main point of connection with the VCSE at a West Yorkshire ICB level. Working alongside VCSE colleagues at place, Power of Communities helps connect us to the wider VCSE and the wide range of services and support on offer locally.
The sector provides a range of support and services to communities including advice on money, cutting costs, food banks, baby banks for supplies for young children, safe, warm spaces, and much more.
If you are feeling isolated, we can help you connect to local groups or to join an activity group. Or maybe just to have a check in on the phone with someone who can listen?
Perhaps you are worries about a family member or friend? There is something for everyone, wherever you live. Just ask.
You can find out about some of the services and support available in West Yorkshire on the Harnessing the Power of Communities webpage, including their upcoming events and resources.
What is a Schwartz Round?
Schwartz Rounds
Schwartz Rounds provide a structured forum where all staff, clinical and non-clinical, come together regularly to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare.
The purpose of Rounds is to understand the challenges and rewards that come with providing care, it is not to solve problems or to focus on the clinical aspects of patient care.
Rounds can help people feel more supported in their jobs, allowing them the time and space to reflect on their roles. Evidence shows that staff who attend Rounds feel less stressed and isolated, with increased insight and appreciation for each other’s roles. They also help to reduce hierarchies between staff and to focus attention on relational aspects of care.
The underlying premise for Rounds is that the compassion shown by staff can make all the difference to a patient’s experience of care, but that in order to provide compassionate care staff must, in turn, feel supported in their work.
West Yorkshire
Our ambition is to have Schwartz Rounds running in each of our places in West Yorkshire, and in as many organisations, large and small, as possible.
Schwartz Rounds are for everyone – if you work in a care home, a voluntary organisation in your community, a GP practice, a hospital or any other organisation that provides health or social care, you can start or take part in a Schwartz Round. We have a central team in each place that can help you with all the resources and training you need to help you and your colleagues get the most from this enriching experience.
No matter what your organisation does, the support and training you get to bring your Schwartz Round to life is free. You don’t have to work in frontline care – people in support roles need Schwartz too.
