‘Wobble rooms’ to help Peterborough hospital staff cope with crisis

The ‘wobble rooms’ are now in place in the mornings, evenings and weekends at Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke hospital.

Lynda Hall, Lead Macmillan Cancer Nurse at NWAFT, said she has never known such ‘challenging’ times in almost four decades of caring for patients and their families.

Now Lynda is volunteering her time to help support NHS staff through the pandemic. Any member of staff can access confidential support from the team. It’s hoped that the new spaces, which spaces will remind workers that ‘having a wobble is ok’.

Speaking about the need for the rooms, Lynda said: “We are trying our best to support staff through these challenging times and reassure them that it’s okay to not be okay. When people pop in to see us, it’s often because they are feeling anxious and overwhelmed and just need somewhere safe to offload their worries.

“It’s not just about the pressures of being on the frontline. Staff are also having to deal with all the challenges that lockdown presents outside of work, such as caring for vulnerable relatives and making sure the cupboards are well-stocked.

“For many, the value of the rooms, which are open seven days a week, is just knowing that they are there, should they need to use them.

“We need to support our staff so they can support our patients.”