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Anya Telford is a Community Psychiatric Nurse for Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust and has given us her positive views on the impact of isolation on local communities throughout the Coronavirus outbreak.
Anya Telford Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)In The Candidate’s search for good news I’ve been asked to write this blog. As we all know, the World has changed dramatically. We’re being asked to stay home to keep the vulnerable safe. Making money is no longer allowed to be a priority, being ‘busy and important’ is no longer ‘important’. The people expected to carry on working are the ever essential NHS staff and other Key Workers including, the shop workers, the teachers, the carers, taxis and delivery drivers. It’s going to take some time to adjust to these new priorities, actually there’s just one priority now and that’s health, that’s all that matters. I’ve been amazed at how quickly people have already accepted this and changed their lives though.
As a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) my job has also changed dramatically, but I’m not able to do it solely from my lounge. I work with some of the most vulnerable in society. My service users have ‘severe and enduring mental health problems’, a host of physical health problems, vulnerable to exploitation of all types; and I am losing sleep worrying about them and all the vulnerable adults and children in society.
When I was asked to write a good news blog I froze a little. These are scary times, is there good news to be shared? After a short time to ponder though I’ve realised that there’s a lot to talk about. Our street, like many others, now has a street WhatsApp group to offer support where needed. I’ve lived here five years and I now know people on first name terms, because of this. Notes with contact numbers have appeared through my door offering support and, more importantly for me, through the doors of my service users.
Colleagues that use public transport for work are being told this is no longer an option and amazingly Uber have stepped up to the plate to offer 10 free rides a week! Supermarkets have donated millions of pounds worth of food to food banks & I am receiving daily emails detailing local initiatives to deliver groceries and essentials to the vulnerable. ‘Covid 19’ support groups have started appearing on social media in an attempt to provide a vital link between people at risk and people that are able to help them.
I feel hopeful that beyond this time of fear and isolation we will be left with a renewed sense of community, an appreciation for Key Workers, support from people and places we didn’t know existed and for me, happy memories of quality time spent with my family, eating together, exercising together, playing and learning together.
Good luck guys, I’m here if you need me; and so are your neighbours!
#StayHome #StaySafe #NHS #ShareThePositives
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