Cancer care staff to receive compassion fatigue resilience training
Cancer care staff at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) will receive compassion fatigue resilience training.
The initiative, funded by a grant from the Blue Light Card Foundation, aims to support the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of NHS staff.
The intense nature of cancer care, involving patient distress, high-pressure environments and difficult discussions, can lead to compassion fatigue.
This state of exhaustion endangers the health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals and compromises care quality.
The training aims to help UHD cancer care staff recognise early signs of compassion fatigue.
They will learn effective coping strategies to protect their emotional and mental health.
Jo Valentine, UHD cancer nurse specialist lead, said: "It's so important that specialist nurses and healthcare professionals working in cancer care access this type of training because they often experience constant exposure to patients going through life-changing diagnoses, treatment, the effects of treatment, and ongoing care and regularly deal with breaking bad news.
"By providing this training to staff, members of our team will be able to recognise symptoms, develop effective coping strategies and help sustain emotional and mental wellbeing.
"Plus, patients will benefit from having a more emotionally balanced and engaged workforce.
"Investing in staff wellbeing is one of our Trust's core values and helps build stronger teams where staff feel valued and supported."
The cost of this training is £7,372, which will be covered by the Blue Light Card Foundation.
Karen Smith, senior charity manager at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, said: "We are so incredibly grateful for the support to fund this vital compassion fatigue training.
"This is one of the most meaningful projects I've had the privilege to be part of."
Emma Woods-Bolger, chief executive of the Blue Light Card Foundation, said: "We're proud to support this initiative from University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, which speaks to the heart of why the Foundation exists.
"Cancer care professionals give so much of themselves, often at great personal cost.
"This project provides space and skills to help them care for themselves too because protecting their wellbeing is essential to protecting the quality of care they offer others."
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