Grief counselling from Hospice UK available for all frontline workers

We are pleased to share that Hospice UK is one of the ten leading charities at the heart of mental health and frontline support to be supported by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s COVID-19 Response Fund. 



As a result of The Royal Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund, and in partnership with NHS England, individual grief trauma counselling from Hospice UK will be available for all frontline workers.



In addition, over 250,000 emergency responders will have access to peer-to-peer support, training and mental health resources from Mind’s Blue Light mental health support programme, building on the support that is already available from other sources, including employers and Our Frontline. 

Grants have also been given to mental health charities to increase their capacity for helpline and chat services to meet rising demand, supporting the nation’s mental health during this time, but also in the months and years ahead. 

For Hospice UK, this grant will enable us to expand the reach of our trauma support helpline. 

The trauma support helpline was created by Hospice UK, working with the Just ‘B’ service from North Yorkshire Hospice Care and the Samaritans, in response to the need for frontline NHS staff to have access to mental health and trauma support during the Coronavirus pandemic.



The funding from the Royal Foundation now means that the phone line will be made available to all frontline workers across the UK. They will be able to quickly receive help with grief, trauma counselling, relationships and financial issues.

The support helpline is open between 07:00 to 23:00 every day. The phone number is 0300 131 7000. Support is also available via a text service run by Our Frontline partners Shout, by texting 85258.

Earlier this week, The Duke and Duchess spoke to four representatives from several of the organisations which will benefit from the fund, including two emergency responders and two mental health counsellors.



They heard about the challenges facing organisations and how mental health support will be needed both for those working on the frontline and those delivering vital support to the nation.



Hospice UK CEO Tracey Bleakley says:



"We couldn’t be more grateful to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for helping to fund our trauma support at Hospice UK for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and for being so involved and passionate about making a real difference.



"We know that demand for these services will increase greatly over the coming weeks and months, and this funding will play a crucial role in supporting those who need our help."



ENDS



Further Information



Together, the grants made through the COVID-19 Response Fund ensure that:



All emergency responders will have access to individual grief trauma counselling from Hospice UK;



Over 250,000 emergency responders will have access to peer-to-peer support through Mind’s Blue Light programme;



The Ambulance Staff Charity will be able to provide an additional 2,780 hours of support for the UK’s ambulance community;



Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) will be able to respond to 2,300 more contacts each month;



Shout 85258 will be able to have 250 more text message conversations with people who are struggling to cope every day;



The Mix will expand their group chat service for young people to seven days per week;



Teachers, children and their parents will be supported to cope with mental health needs including self-care and managing anxiety as schools re-open, thanks to training and resources from Place2Be and The Anna Freud Centre; and



An additional 20,000 new mothers will be supported by Best Beginnings, thanks to a community mental health training project to reach pregnant women and new parents.



Funding will also build the capacity of the Heads Together partners as they work together on campaigning activity to directly address the nation’s mental health as the population adjusts to life after COVID-19.