Remembrance takes root at Harpenden memorial tree planting
On a sunny day at Harpenden Memorial Hospital, we were joined by staff from across the Trust to witness the planting of our memorial tree.
The National Memorial Tree Campaign, led by the mental health charity Doctors in Distress and in association with its Patron, BAFTA winner and former NHS doctor Adam Kay, is to honour the memory of healthcare professionals who died by suicide and highlight our Trust’s commitment to protecting the mental health and wellbeing of our staff.
Nicki Kemp, Chief Medical Officer, said: “This tree is more than a gesture. It is a symbol of a promise to nurture the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, just as this tree will be nurtured. To build spaces of compassion, where asking for help is seen as strength, not weakness, and to grow a culture where support runs deep, like the roots beneath this tree.”
We were joined by ambassador, Dr Samantha Anthony and Amandip Sidhu, Founder of Doctors in Distress, who said: “My cardiologist brother died by suicide in 2018 therefore this is a very emotive topic for me. It is really important for me to know that there are NHS Trusts which understand the pressure their workforce has faced and continues to have to deal with, and who are prepared to talk about the issue of suicide in the workforce.
“Until the mental health and wellbeing of the healthcare workforce is prioritised by leaders at the highest level, the rate of burnout will continue to rise and, inevitably, so will the rate of suicide. Doctors in Distress was founded specifically to eliminate the stigma surrounding suicide and to provide the support our colleagues need in order to continue doing the amazing work they do.”
Doctors in Distress is an independent charity that provides peer support for all UK based healthcare workers to promote and protect their mental health and prevent suicide. You can find out more on their website. Staff can also access support on the NHS Practitioner Health website.
