Wellbeing of CAMHS staff and changes in working practices during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Bentham, Charlotte; Driver, Katie; Stark, Daniel

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has necessitated significant changes in working practices across healthcare services. The current study aimed to assess the wellbeing of health professionals and quantify the adaptations to working practices in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) during the pandemic. METHOD: The study was conducted in a UK CAMH team six weeks into lockdown measures. All clinicians were invited to complete a survey eliciting their experiences of working practices during the pandemic, degree of worry about the virus and mental wellbeing. RESULTS: Clinicians had significantly lower levels of mental wellbeing during the pandemic than population normative data, to the extent that some clinicians were classified as at heightened risk of depression. A significant shift to remote working, reduction in face‐to‐face appointments, and decrease in clinicians' perceived ability to undertake clinical tasks was observed. Themes emerging from clinicians' experiences of working during the pandemic include being supported within the team, providing a service, working adaptations, and working as a team. A further theme highlights the needs of clinicians to complete their clinical role effectively. CONCLUSION: CAMHS clinicians require additional support, training, and guidance during a pandemic to promote mental wellbeing and effectiveness in completing clinical tasks.