SafeSpace. Dr. Sankey's Vision for a Compassionate Healthcare System
The discount code SAFESPACE20 gives 20% off all 12-month access on Pastest’s post-graduate exam platforms
If you like the episode please follow on Instagram @safespace.hcp and TikTok @safespacer0 for more content and share. Extended guided meditations are coming soon on my Substack and website www.saferspace.info
In this episode, Mariam chats with Dr. Karen Sankey about well-being and resilience in healthcare, focusing on both patients and professionals. With over 30 years of experience in the NHS, Dr. Sankey shares her journey from traditional medical practices to a more holistic, trauma-informed approach that emphasises the importance of community and human connection. She highlights the impact of trauma on health, the need for collective responsibility in addressing burnout among healthcare workers, and the significance of creating safe spaces for healing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Trauma is not solely defined by adverse experiences but is also about the psychological changes that occur in our bodies as a result of those experiences. Recognising this can help healthcare professionals better understand their patients and themselves.
Resilience should not be viewed as an individual responsibility but rather as a collective one. Creating supportive environments in healthcare settings is essential to address the systemic pressures that contribute to burnout among professionals.
Establishing safe spaces where individuals can share their experiences and feel heard is crucial for healing. This approach fosters community and connection, which are vital for emotional and psychological health.
Educating both healthcare professionals and patients about trauma-informed care can lead to more compassionate and effective interactions.
BEST MOMENTS
"I think resilience is almost an individual responsibility. There can be a sense of failure that, well, why am I not coping when all my colleagues are okay?"
"Trauma is not what happens to us, it's what happens in our bodies as a result of experiences or environments."
"Sometimes innovation is actually going back to basics, which is what we're doing."
HOST BIO
Mariam is a GP trainee in Wales passionate about improving our healthcare colleagues' wellbeing. She has experience on the Schwartz Round Steering group and as a facilitator for her health board, and she created and led the Balint Group Programme for Foundation Doctors in her hospital. These are regular spaces for healthcare professionals to speak about real issues that affect their well-being amongst colleagues to improve mutual support and camaraderie in the workplace. She also holds qualifications in Life Coaching and healthcare leadership and management. Whatever your reason for joining us on this podcast, we are glad you have taken the time.
If you are having stressful days at work, leaving you feeling demotivated, and depleted, I'm hoping I can help here.
PODCAST DESCRIPTION
SafeSpace is a new grounding and respite podcast aimed at Healthcare Professionals focused on staff wellbeing in the healthcare work environment, a grossly overlooked issue and yet, the cornerstone of the healthcare system which is why it is crumbling. There are 2 components to the podcast:
- Candid interviews with healthcare leaders, and a wide variety of passionate healthcare professionals about their own experiences and struggles with their well-being as they have progressed through their careers
- Guided meditations specific to the healthcare worker getting ready for the day ahead, pausing during, winding down, and accepting following the working day.
This podcast is not a panacea or substitute for a formal management plan, but a motivating, and catharsis tool to help during a stressful day.