Re: Health visitor stress

[Guest guest]

Hi RobynThanks for raising this very important issue. Yes - Sonya Wallbank has carried a before-and-after evaluation study of the use of 'restorative supervision' with health visitors. Before, many health visitors recorded levels of stress that were 'off the scale' in that they were higher than those experienced by soldiers in war zones retrieving dead colleagues from the battlefield (I think that is what is meant by a 'killer statistic - it really concentrates the mind, even though some have questioned the use of a PTSD scale, rather than standard work stress ones). Needless to say, many of these health visitors found it hard to engage constructively with management change plans, or to do anything anything much more than hunker down and self-protect - which presented as quite negative to those trying to help. Following 'restorative supervision,' the health visitors' stress levels reverted to average or better and they were able to engage with plans to improve the situation as well. This research is reported in Community Practitioner - Wallbank S & Hatton S (2011) Reducing burnout and stress: the effectiveness of clinical supervision, Community Practitioner, 84(7) 21-25 and I think there was a follow-up in a recent issue as well. I think DH might be more aware than some Trusts that employers have a duty of care to their employees, because they have (just in the last month or two - made made restorative supervision a CQUIN, so it should be on Trusts' radar. Should also mention that this form of supervision is also one element of the supervision package that comes with the Family Partnership Model (FPM), formerly parent adviser approach and not to be confused with FNP ( olds Family Nurse Partnership approach), but it is not commonly applied within standard child protection supervision, which is all that many health visitors get. best wishesOn 4 May 2012, at 12:09, Robyn Pound wrote: Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter?Robyn Pound Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn

[Guest guest]

Perfect. Thanks . I shall pass this on to my colleague as we continue thinking together - which we could call a form of supervision. Supervision is on our trusts agenda but over the years it is not always prioritised by staff who are busy or their managers who want the job done.Robyn From: Cowley <sarahcowley183@...> Sent: Friday, 4 May 2012, 12:27 Subject: Re: Health visitor stress

Hi RobynThanks for raising this very important issue. Yes - Sonya Wallbank has carried a before-and-after evaluation study of the use of 'restorative supervision' with health visitors. Before, many health visitors recorded levels of stress that were 'off the scale' in that they were higher than those experienced by soldiers in war zones retrieving dead colleagues from the battlefield (I think that is what is meant by a 'killer statistic - it really concentrates the mind, even though some have questioned the use of a PTSD scale, rather than standard work stress ones). Needless to say, many of these health visitors found it hard to engage constructively with management change plans, or to do anything anything much more than hunker down and self-protect - which presented as quite negative to those trying to help. Following 'restorative supervision,' the

health visitors' stress levels reverted to average or better and they were able to engage with plans to improve the situation as well. This research is reported in Community Practitioner - Wallbank S & Hatton S (2011) Reducing burnout and stress: the effectiveness of clinical supervision, Community Practitioner, 84(7) 21-25 and I think there was a follow-up in a recent issue as well. I think DH might be more aware than some Trusts that employers have a duty of care to their employees, because they have (just in the last month or two - made made restorative supervision a CQUIN, so it should be on Trusts' radar. Should also mention that this form of supervision is also one element of the supervision package that comes with the Family Partnership Model (FPM), formerly parent adviser approach and not to be confused with FNP ( olds Family Nurse Partnership approach), but it is not

commonly applied within standard child protection supervision, which is all that many health visitors get. best wishesOn 4 May 2012, at 12:09, Robyn Pound wrote: Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before

new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter?Robyn Pound Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn

[Guest guest]

Good - I think Sonya would be very firm about the need for RESTORATIVE supervision - which is a particular form described in her paper! On 4 May 2012, at 12:40, Robyn Pound wrote: Perfect. Thanks . I shall pass this on to my colleague as we continue thinking together - which we could call a form of supervision. Supervision is on our trusts agenda but over the years it is not always prioritised by staff who are busy or their managers who want the job done.Robyn From: Cowley <sarahcowley183@...> Sent: Friday, 4 May 2012, 12:27 Subject: Re: Health visitor stress Hi RobynThanks for raising this very important issue. Yes - Sonya Wallbank has carried a before-and-after evaluation study of the use of 'restorative supervision' with health visitors. Before, many health visitors recorded levels of stress that were 'off the scale' in that they were higher than those experienced by soldiers in war zones retrieving dead colleagues from the battlefield (I think that is what is meant by a 'killer statistic - it really concentrates the mind, even though some have questioned the use of a PTSD scale, rather than standard work stress ones). Needless to say, many of these health visitors found it hard to engage constructively with management change plans, or to do anything anything much more than hunker down and self-protect - which presented as quite negative to those trying to help. Following 'restorative supervision,' the health visitors' stress levels reverted to average or better and they were able to engage with plans to improve the situation as well. This research is reported in Community Practitioner - Wallbank S & Hatton S (2011) Reducing burnout and stress: the effectiveness of clinical supervision, Community Practitioner, 84(7) 21-25 and I think there was a follow-up in a recent issue as well. I think DH might be more aware than some Trusts that employers have a duty of care to their employees, because they have (just in the last month or two - made made restorative supervision a CQUIN, so it should be on Trusts' radar. Should also mention that this form of supervision is also one element of the supervision package that comes with the Family Partnership Model (FPM), formerly parent adviser approach and not to be confused with FNP ( olds Family Nurse Partnership approach), but it is not commonly applied within standard child protection supervision, which is all that many health visitors get. best wishesOn 4 May 2012, at 12:09, Robyn Pound wrote: Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter?Robyn Pound Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn

[Guest guest]

Hi Robyn

Sue Hatton and Prof Sonya Walbank has done some intresting work with NHS W. Midalnds on Restorative Supervison. It did get written up in the Commuity Practitoenr last year July 2011 "Reducing burn out and stress: the efectiveness of clincal supervison", well worth reading. This may not be what you are looknig for but thought I would mention it as it is related,

If you want to contact ne I wil send yo a copy of the article

Best wishesMaggie

Health visitor stress

Dear All,

I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter?

Robyn Pound

[Guest guest]

Hi Robyn You need to look at the articles Sonya Wallbank had had in the CPHVA journal around restorative supervision. From her work and the leadership course we are identifying how stressed staff are and how if they get the right support this gets better. Restorative supervision is now a CQUIN and we are hoping a lot more places will pick it up and also the leadership course as we thing the two go hand in hand. Can send additional information if it would be useful. Margaret From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Robyn PoundSent: 04 May 2012 12:10 Subject: Health visitor stress Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter? Robyn Pound

[Guest guest]

Margaret and Maggie, Thank you both. We have FNP and its restorative supervision coming I believe.Robyn From: Margaret Buttigieg <margaret@...> " " < > Sent: Friday, 4 May 2012,

18:21 Subject: RE: Health visitor stress

Hi Robyn You need to look at the articles Sonya Wallbank had had in the CPHVA journal around restorative supervision. From her work and the leadership course we are identifying how stressed staff are and how if they get the right support this gets better. Restorative supervision is now a CQUIN and we are hoping a lot more places will pick it up and also the leadership course as we thing the two go hand in hand. Can send additional information if it would be useful. Margaret From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Robyn PoundSent: 04 May 2012 12:10 Subject: Health visitor stress Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this

time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter? Robyn Pound

[Guest guest]

Hi RobynFPM is not FNP - confusing! Family Partnership Model includes restorative supervision, but is separate to the teenage pregnancy/separate from mainstream health visiting model of 'family-nurse-partnership.'best wishesOn 5 May 2012, at 11:02, Robyn Pound wrote: Margaret and Maggie, Thank you both. We have FNP and its restorative supervision coming I believe.Robyn From: Margaret Buttigieg <margaret@...> " " < > Sent: Friday, 4 May 2012, 18:21 Subject: RE: Health visitor stress Hi Robyn You need to look at the articles Sonya Wallbank had had in the CPHVA journal around restorative supervision. From her work and the leadership course we are identifying how stressed staff are and how if they get the right support this gets better. Restorative supervision is now a CQUIN and we are hoping a lot more places will pick it up and also the leadership course as we thing the two go hand in hand. Can send additional information if it would be useful. Margaret From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Robyn PoundSent: 04 May 2012 12:10 Subject: Health visitor stress Dear All,I am lucky enough to be the work place advisor for the Building Community Capacity modules in my area. One of the threads of reflection that has arisen is about how health visitors cope with the stress of large case loads and too much to do well at this time before new recruits have taken up their posts. My own instinct is that health visiting will always create endless opportunities for work with families and communities and there will always be too much to do for the conscientious. However, there is no doubt that those who knew they once did a superb job and are now coping with doing a more basic job, because of the overwhelming demands, feel stressed. Does anyone have opinions or know of any studies that have looked into how health visitors deal with the stress they encounter? Robyn Pound Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn