A mobile mental health service recently toured Lanarkshire for two weeks to support healthcare staff and community members.
Known as Wellbeing on Wheels, the drop-in mental health service on board a bus brought one-to-one, peer-led support.
The collaboration between Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) and NHS Lanarkshire, along with Stagecoach East, provided information, tools, and resources to help people self-manage their mental health and wellbeing.
Susan Neilson, service manager at SAMH, said: "Our Wellbeing on Wheels team are used to visiting community centres and other neighbourhood hubs, but this was the first time we worked with an employer over an extended spell to support its staff on their doorstep.
"We are so pleased to partner with NHS Lanarkshire in this innovative way.
“Our team of peer support workers were here to deliver one-to-one mental health and wellbeing support to anyone who hopped on board the bus for a blether, but we were also there to raise awareness, challenge stigma and signpost people to local services that can continue that support on a more long-term basis.”
The bus tour also included sessions with animal therapy charity Therapet, managed by Canine Concern Scotland Trust, and visits from specialist staff sharing advice on financial support and wellness.
NHS Lanarkshire hired Wellbeing on Wheels to support its staff’s wellbeing, acknowledging factors affecting mental health, from stress and isolation to bereavement and cost of living pressures can impact everyone’s mental health.
Kerri Todd, head of Health Improvement at NHS Lanarkshire, said: "It was great to have the Wellbeing on Wheels team come to Lanarkshire to complement the existing wellbeing support we provide for staff.
“We have a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme, but I’m keen that we always explore new ways of supporting our staff and building on their resilience.
"By looking after the wellbeing of our staff, we are able to ensure that we’re fully focused on delivering high quality care to the people of Lanarkshire.”
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