Mental Health Awareness. By Steve Taylor

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

By Steve Taylor I PCDT DipPs(Implantology) FBIDST I Chair of BIDST I Board member of DLA

Mental Health has always been an issue within dentistry due to the very nature of the pressures all members of the dental family work under on a daily basis. This was acknowledged by the Dental Professionals Alliance (DPA) in late 2019. A working group was established to create a initiative to help deal with the problems by providing a framework at would highlight a pathway to allow each dental workplace to install a mental health wellness lead.

The British Institute of Dental and Surgical Technologists as part of the DPA was pleased to be involved with this timely and important initiative. We are supportive of the dental profession and recognise the value of promoting Mental Health and Wellness to all members of the dental team. All the member groups who were involved are listed at the foot of this piece.

The concept of the Mental Health and Wellness working group was to create a framework by which all dental businesses, practices or laboratories could have someone within them that was suitably trained to act as a mental health lead. The role of the lead is to be a confidential support for anyone needing help or some guidance with his or her mental health. It is the role of the lead to try to spot someone who may be showing signs of being engaged with a mental health struggle and to offer help by being able to signpost them to various resources that are available. Sometimes the lead by simply asking some questions “are you ok?, is everything alright, shall we take 10 minutes to chat” may find that is all someone needs, other times having a trained lead point the colleague in an appropriate direction will put the colleague on a pathway to a more successful outcome. It is hoped that the entire range of dental businesses will engage with this concept and allow a mental health lead to carry out their role with full support from that business.

Being healthy means more than the absence of disease, and healthcare provision should not be seen as just being for the patients we serve. We also have our health needs that ought not be neglected as we put our patients’ needs ahead of our own; this professionalism and care needs to be extended to our own colleagues, enabling us to perform our roles in healthcare.

This programme has been put together by [Dental Professionals Alliance, Chaired by Fiona Ellwood and Roz McMullan] and has the support of the dental care professional organisations listed below. It encompasses the entire dental profession and provides a framework to allow us all the opportunity to look after one another, as dental care professionals supporting mental care.

This is every bit as vital in the dental laboratory setting and the technicians, staff and owners who they employ.

A powerpoint presentation is available free of charge which has been customised for dental laboratories and technicians, please engage with this vital initiative and encourage a mental health wellness lead to undertake the role within each business.

It is hoped to set up a network so that the MHW leads can share experiences, and know that support is also available for them. It will be an ongoing development role that will be reviewed at least annually.

“Being healthy means more than the absence of disease, and healthcare provision should not be seen as just being for the patients we serve.”

THE STAGES ARE:

1. Undertake stress awareness training

(the whole team)

2. Identify a Mental Health Wellness Lead 3. Undertake Mental Health First Aid

Training (Required)

4. Participate in Suicide Awareness

Training (Desirable)

5. Engage in self-care regularly and

maintain skills annually.

The complete Framework is also available FOC to help each step of the way. Please visit http://www.mhwd.org/ to help everyone.

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