Thanks to generous donations, Leeds Hospitals Charity has been able to provide £25,000 to fund a part-time clinical psychology post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The newly created post will create additional resource and also allow the Trust to continue to provide dedicated psychological support to their staff, many of whom have been finding work challenging throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

At the start of the pandemic, Leeds Hospitals created drop-in hubs where staff could seek support, 7 days a week. Since March, hundreds of sessions have been delivered for NHS staff. However, the clinical psychology service has seen such a huge uptake that they require more resources to be able to support staff, alongside their patient clinics.

Dr Maggie Bellew, Senior Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Trust, said the funding would make a big difference: “Over the last 12 weeks we’ve been able to provide fantastic support to our NHS colleagues, for a range of issues and concerns. However, when outpatient clinics reopen, the service will undoubtedly be stretched so I’m really grateful for these donations, as it will mean we’re even better equipped to offer support.”

 “The extra resource will also mean the team can spend time with patients who have been treated for Covid-19 but may be struggling emotionally with their recovery.”

Helping them is the least we could do

Leeds lawyers Marilyn and Grahame Stowe contributed a £10,000 donation to fund the post. The couple were inspired to give soon after the pandemic started, wanting to support the hospitals in whatever way they could.

Marilyn said “We are supporters of Leeds Hospitals Charity. We admire all those courageous people who selflessly put the needs of others, including the dying, before themselves. Helping them is the least we can do.”

The new psychology post is currently being advertised and the successful candidate is expected to start in late summer.

Leeds Hospitals Charity is continuing to raise funds for wellbeing projects at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and are hoping to fund the refurbishment of staff areas and provide further mental health support later on this year.