Exploring the psychological impact of working during the COVID-19 pandemic on UK Healthcare workers

This thesis explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK healthcare workforce, with a particular focus on Black mental health professionals. Awareness is drawn to this underrepresented demographic within research, providing clinical implications and recommendations to improve staff well-being initiatives for employees from racialised backgrounds. Part 1 details a literature review which explores the experiences of UK healthcare workers (HCWs) and the psychological impact of working during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thirteen papers were reviewed, analysed and synthesised. Subsequent themes included prevalence of poor mental well-being and factors influencing poor mental well-being. Influencing factors of poor mental well-being were identified as (1) the stage of the pandemic; (2) fear of Covid-19; (3) occupational challenges; (4) organisational influences; and (5) resilience and coping. Findings are limited due to a lack of diverse samples which are not representative of the UK healthcare workforce. The review highlights a need for research to explore the psychological impact of atrisk HCW groups, including HCWs from racialised backgrounds. Part 2 outlines empirical research exploring Black mental health professionals’ (MHPs) experiences of their mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirteen Black MHPs were interviewed using a semi-structured format guided by grounded theory principles. The theory identifies participants conceptualised their experiences through salience with their ethnic identity. The COVID-19 pandemic and prominent Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement caused intersectional trauma which was heightened by stressors relating to health, workplace, racial and political stressors. These stressors exacerbated the social, cultural, and political context participants identified with. Participants highlighted a delayed recognition of and response to the deterioration of their mental well-being. This experience precipitated a transition in perspective, whereby the self is prioritised over occupation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings call for employee well-being initiatives to be informed by equality, diversity and inclusivity principles acknowledging the impact of health, political and racial issues which can be detrimental to staff well-being. The executive summary provides a concise overview of the empirical paper.