SOCIAL care workers in Wales will be able to access a free mental health support scheme that has been available to NHS staff.

From today, Canopi, which is run by Cardiff University, will open up its confidential and personalised service of support and advice to social care staff, including frontline social care workers, personal assistants, and administrative and managerial staff.

The service was previously known as Health for Health Professionals Wales (HHP Wales) and between 2012 and 2020 supported 800 doctors from across Wales.

It was further extended in 2020 to offer mental health support to all staff working in the NHS in Wales tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and has since supported 2,300 people.

The Welsh Government is providing £1.5m a year, until 2025, to support the Canopi service which has recruited additional therapists to support the expansion.

Social care and NHS staff will be able to access a confidential service staffed by healthcare professionals and face-to-face counselling sessions, self-help resources and virtual therapy sessions.

Among those to have used the service is Geraint Jones, an advanced pharmacist in HIV and homecare.

He contacted the service in October 2020 while adjusting to living with long Covid which was taking a huge toll on his life.

“I sought support through Canopi predominantly out of desperation and not knowing who to turn to for help,” he said.

“I was assigned a therapist who led me through sessions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The strategies we spoke through were very simple and never used too much mental ability, which I appreciated as some days I was completely lacking in this.

“I cannot thank the Canopi team enough for guiding me through some very difficult times when nobody else understood my worries and concerns.”

Professor Jon Bisson, director of Canopi, said: “The last two years has been an extremely challenging time for people working in health and social care. We’re delighted to now be able to expand our service to include staff employed by social care organisations in Wales so they can access the same mental health and wellbeing support as staff working for the NHS in Wales."

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Deputy minister for mental health and wellbeing Lynne Neagle said: "Feedback we have received from those who have used the service already has been very positive.

"I hope our continued funding of the service will ensure more people get the support they need. I am delighted that dedicated provision for those working in social care has now been launched to deliver tailored advice and support for those working in this vital sector."

The 9am-5pm service can be accessed through canopi.nhs.wales, where a self-referral form can be completed.

People nterested in volunteering or working for the service, can contact canopi@cardiff.ac.uk.

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