At least 80% of social workers believe stress levels and burnout are affecting their ability to do their job, a Community Care survey of more than 2,000 frontline staff and managers has shown.
The survey, which has had the biggest response rate of any undertaken by Community Care, found a third of social workers responding to the survey are using alcohol and 17% are using prescription drugs such as anti-depressants to cope with stress. Almost all respondents (97%) said they were moderately or very stressed, yet only 16% said they had received any training or guidance on how to deal with work-related stress, and less than a third had been offered access to workplace counselling.
To help address this, Community Care is running a National Conference on 10th March 2015 at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury London.
Protecting the frontline against burnout: Creating cultures to promote resilience and wellbeing for social care and health professionals
Action for NHS Wellbeing members Mike Bush, Dr Chris Manning and Martin Seager are co-chairing the event which has tickets for £199 if you book before 6th March.