A BLACKBURN nurse is fronting a new campaign urging public sector workers to seek help about their mental health in dealing with the psychological impact of Covid-19.

‘You’re here for us, we’re here for you’ is the motto for the new campaign promoting the work of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Resilience Hub.

The hub - set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic - offers psychological support to all emergency workers, health and social care staff, teachers, council workers, public sector volunteers and their immediate families.

And, ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10, the campaign is encouraging public sector workers to use a self-assessment tool to check-in on how they’re doing.

Public sector workers from across the county, including Blackburn nurse, Sadie Mackenzie, a Darwen firefighter and Darwen paramedic, have all been pictured to help spread the word.

Sadie, a District Nurse, said: “As nurses, we’re so used to taking care of other people and putting them first. We don’t often think about ourselves and the support we might need.

“During the pandemic, I’ve felt vulnerable and anxious, but I’ve also felt determined to try and stay positive and strong for my patients and work colleagues.

“I’m proud to be part of this new campaign to help others know that support is available – the Resilience Hub is fantastic and I’d urge anyone who is struggling to head to their website and find out more.”

Gita Bhutani, Director for Psychological Professions at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and lead for the Resilience Hub, said: “There’s absolutely no doubt that the pandemic has had an impact on us all – especially those who have been working on the frontline throughout.

“The Resilience Hub can offer support to all public sector workers in Lancashire and South Cumbria who are struggling to deal with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress or feel like they’re having a bit of a wobble because of the pandemic.

“We’ve already been able to help lots of people – those who have found it really hard to continue with their jobs, those who have struggled to adapt to new ways or working and sadly, those who have lost loved ones.

“This is a difficult time for many and we hope the new campaign will help more people to know that help is available and it’s really easy to access.”

As part of the new campaign, the Resilience Hub website – www.lscresiliencehub.nhs.uk – has been refreshed with helpful information about the support available – including for public sector workers, their colleagues, teams and also their families.

The self-assessment tool is available on the Resilience Hub website and takes around 15 minutes to complete.

From there, public sector workers can decide if they’d then like to self-refer themselves or their family to the Resilience Hub – which is a confidential service.

For more information, please visit: www.lscresiliencehub.nhs.uk, ring: 01772 520228 or email: lschub@lscft.nhs.uk