Workplace health, safety and wellbeing for Palliative care agencies: caring for staff who care for the dying
Palliative care staff absorb grief every week. Without a way to put it down, kind and capable people leave or go numb.
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Share your requirementsWhy workplace health, safety and wellbeing matters in palliative care agencies
Staff in this field are rarely harmed by equipment. They are worn by loss, night calls, long travel to homes and the pressure of families in crisis. They often feel it is wrong to complain when patients suffer more. They carry on, then withdraw, become short with colleagues or resign suddenly.
A workable approach is simple. It builds time to reflect into the month, protects rest after hard nights, makes travel safer, and tells staff what help exists and how to ask. Leaders watch for signs of strain and talk with individuals in private. Where specific rules apply to safety or medicines, the owner confirms them with a qualified professional.
How to set it up
1. Hold a monthly reflection
An hour in which staff share a hard case and how they felt, led by a calm senior person. Rules of privacy are agreed first.
2. Protect rest after hard nights
A morning off or a later start after a night with several calls. Put the rule in writing so nobody has to ask.
3. Make travel and late visits safer
A check-in call at the start and end of night visits, safe parking and an agreed way to raise a worry. Staff know whom to call.
4. Offer a clear route to support
Tell staff what help is available, such as a counsellor or a trusted senior, and how to reach it. Make asking normal, not weak.
5. Watch for strain and speak early
Leaders notice withdrawal, irritability or sudden absence, and have a private, kind conversation with the person before it grows.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Ask staff whether they feel able to say when they are not coping.
- Count night calls in the last month and how rest followed.
- Check how staff get home safely after a late visit.
- Ask a leader what she does when a nurse seems withdrawn.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach workplace health, safety and wellbeing in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
Monthly is a good start, with extra time after an especially hard period. It should be voluntary but encouraged, and held in a private place. Leaders should attend and share too.
Speak privately, listen without hurrying, reduce her load for a while if possible and offer support. Check again after a few weeks. Do not wait for her to ask.
It helps many people but may not suit all. Offer access to a counsellor or trusted senior and respect privacy. Peer talks and rest also matter. Take advice from a qualified professional on suitable support.