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The impact of covid restrictions on islanders' mental health is to be investigated following concerns raised by the Government's senior advisers.
Newly-released minutes from the Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell (STAC) show that the issue was raised at their meeting on the 29th December, with the Hospital's MD, Rob Sainsbury, promising to produce a set of "indicators" so that they could understand what the effect had been.
The minutes show that the level of support provided to those with existing mental health problems, and those worst hit by covid restrictions, was queried by Dr Ivan Muscat MBE, the Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, and Vice Chair of STAC.
They say that Dr Muscat: "...indicated that the Cell had often discussed the importance of protecting people’s mental wellbeing, but he was not aware that it had been provided with tangible information on this subject. He was, however, cognisant that a plethora of people had sought mental health support following the first wave of the pandemic."
Pictured: Dr Ivan Muscat raised the issue of mental health problems, linked to the covid restrictions.
Mr Sainsbury then responded by noting that existing support services like Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) , the Listening Lounge, and Talking Therapies had seen "an uplift":
"There was increasing evidence around the impact of isolation on people and he suggested that it would be helpful for a suite of indicators to be presented to the Cell at a future meeting, to inform its decision making. He stated that he would liaise with partners across Government and undertake this work."
In addition, officials planned to discuss undertaking a survey on the issue, in partnership with Statistics Jersey.
Pictured: Hospital MD Rob Sainsbury has promised to produce a set of mental health "indicators"
It's an issue which Express has reported on previously, with medics expressing their concerns about the increase in the number of people asking for help, and experiencing a rise in cases linked to anxiety or depression.
Those in the wellbeing sector in particular, such as gyms and personal trainers, have regularly lobbied officials to get covid restrictions lifted more quickly, and have publicly spoken of their worries about the negative effects on islanders' mental health.
Mind Jersey also made use of technology to 'Zoom' into care homes over the festive period to help residents stay connected.
Social isolation and loneliness - which are likely to be the biggest impacts - are major risk factors linked to poor physical and mental health status.
Mind Jersey have developed a 'Wellbeing Wednesday' initiative in order to address those issues specifically. The intiative hopes to improve social connections by developing wellbeing groups within care homes and begin to identify and support social isolation and loneliness.
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