“I don’t see how it can go back to normal, because what people are dealing with won’t end the day that this ends – it will carry on for months, if not years.” The statement, regarding attitudes to wellbeing, came from Consultant Healthcare Scientist Jo Horne, who is featured on the new IBMS podcast discussing workforce mental health.
She explained that while mental health support had become more prominent over the last couple of years, the pandemic really “amplified” the issues.
Jo continued: “This shouldn’t be a temporary thing and what we should do is offer that hand of support all the time.”
Alongside her work as a Consultant Healthcare Scientist, Jo has also taken on the role of Safe Space Practitioner.
“It is about identifying what the problem is and looking at what it is we can do to support people and to help them,” she said.
“I see it personally as holding my hand out to lift somebody else, if they need it.” She is positive about the future and “the amazing things we’ve put in place over the last 12 months”, such as flexible working and remote meetings.
Jo adds: “All of those things, you wouldn’t want to unpick – there are lots of things that we’ve discovered work better.”
Jo is featured on Episode 5 of the IBMSpod, which also includes Specialist Biomedical Scientist Cherie Beckett in the regular section Lab Life.
To listen to the episode, click here.