Wellbeing is important for your patients as it impacts their mental and physical health and rates of recovery. 

Wellbeing in the workplace is also important for pharmacy teams as it means you can function well and be resilient at work. This in turn will allow you to care for people who use your services effectively. Mental health charity Mind reports that stress and other mental health problems are the second biggest cause of sickness absence, accounting for 70 million lost working days every year. Absence can put additional strain on other members of the pharmacy team and could potentially limit service provision.

Ways to improve wellbeing include: 

• Healthy eating
• Exercise – this can improve mood, boost confidence and increase energy levels
• Sleep – effective rest is essential for people to function well.

To reduce your personal stress levels and support others, you can also:  

• Look out for warning signs of stress in both people who use your services and your colleagues
• Reduce stress levels by: taking a break, creating boundaries and prioritising your time
• Perform a debrief after a difficult experience in the workplace – this could be as simple as discussing what happened with an appropriate colleague or manager.

Wellbeing involves looking at the person as a whole rather than focusing on one specific area. One way to promote mental wellbeing is to refer people to the NHS resource ‘Five steps to mental wellbeing’, which is based on evidence that suggests simple lifestyle changes may make people feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life. 

The steps are:

1. Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, and spend time developing these relationships.
2. Be active and find an activity, such as walking, cycling or playing football, that you enjoy and make it part of your life.
3. Keep learning as new skills can give you a sense of achievement and new confidence.
4. Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word, or a larger act, such as volunteering at a local community centre.
5. Be mindful and more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Practice point

Identify ways in which you currently support people with mental health conditions in your routine practice. What do you do well and what scope do you have to develop the support you give to people with mental health conditions?