Mindfulness self-help for health care professionals

Stress and anxiety are among the most significant reasons for staff sickness absence in the NHS. The provision of psychological support for healthcare staff may have the potential to improve staff job satisfaction and reduce staff stress and burnout. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are one type of psychological approach that has gained particular research interest in recent years. MBIs may have the potential to reduce stress and improve staff wellbeing.

A fully powered randomised control, followed on from a pilot study, aimed to look at the effects of the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based self-help intervention for healthcare staff and the factors that may mediate any effects found. A total of 133 participants were recruited for the study.

The results showed that participants in the intervention arm of the study reported a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression and an increase in wellbeing compared to controls. Further to this it was found that mindfulness is a mediator for self-compassion which increased wellbeing.