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Looking after yourself
Guidance on caring for your own wellbeing
🌟WHAM First Aid Kit
Clinician Well-Being
Talking about wellbeing in today’s NHS can feel like fantasy. The rota gaps. The backlog. The impossible pressures. Many clinicians are just trying survive the day, and have lost a sense of value and joy at work. Â
But burnout isn't just a personal issue—it's a systems issue. And the ripple effects are real: worse outcomes for patients, fragile teams, rising costs, and human beings breaking under the weight of care.
At WHAM, we believe wellbeing is not a luxury. It's a foundation. Because we cannot build a fairer, braver healthcare system if we're running on empty.
This isn’t about fixing everything overnight. It’s about creating small shifts that help you reclaim energy, agency, and purpose—so you can keep showing up for what matters.
Personal Wellbeing
Team Wellbeing
Organisational Wellbeing
Personal Wellbeing
Healthcare often teaches us to put ourselves last. But sustainable care starts with you.
- Notice & name your feelingsBuild emotional literacy and give your experiences language.
- Find balanceReclaim space for rest, joy and recharge without guilt.
- Manage your energyLearn to prioritise, set boundaries, and say no when needed.
- Challenge your thoughtsIdentify cognitive traps and reframe with compassion.
- Reach outYou're not alone. Seeking help is strength, not failure.
Whether it's a quiet coffee, therapy, or a trusted conversation — every step counts.
Team Wellbeing
We don’t just survive because of resilience. We survive because of each other.
Team wellbeing means fostering compassion, connection, and psychological safety. Even small shifts can ripple widely.
- Civility Saves LivesRudeness damages care. Respect saves it.
Evidence + Talks ↗ - Compassionate LeadershipLed by Prof. Michael West.
King’s Fund Long Read ↗
- Saying thank you
- Offering inclusive social events
- Valuing everyone's contribution
- Understand and uplift marginalised colleagues
- Learn from the voices less often heard (IMGs, neurodivergent doctors, disabled staff)
Organisational Wellbeing
When you feel ready to look up and out — you’re not alone.
The WHAM community is here to support clinicians who want to take on the deeper cultural and systemic roots of burnout and moral injury.
- Psychological SafetyCultivate spaces where people can speak up without fear.
Amy Edmondson explains how ↗ - Facilities That CarePush for basics: food, rest, lockers, secure parking.
- Reflective SpacesExplore Schwartz Rounds or Balint Groups.
Point of Care Foundation ↗ - Workload, Rostering & FlexibilityDiscover self-rostering and team job planning.
Together, we can advocate for the kind of systems that don’t just demand compassion — but make it possible.
WHAM is your space to share, learn and shape better ways to be well — so we can keep doing the work that matters most.