Safeguarding wellbeing: Supporting allied health professionals involved in disaster recovery programs

Background: The demanding nature of disaster recovery work places allied health professionals (AHPs) at risk of vicarious trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout, and compassion fatigue. With a predicted increase in frequency and intensity of natural disasters, strategies are needed to ensure the wellbeing of AHPs involved in planning and delivery of disaster recovery programs for impacted individuals and communities.
Aim: To evaluate the wellbeing of, and identify wellbeing strategies used by, Royal Far West (RFW) staff members involved in planning and delivering the Bushfire Recovery Program (BRP) to communities across NSW impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfires.
Methods: Sixteen RFW staff members involved in the BRP completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) at the end of each of four school terms. Nine individual in-depth interviews were conducted at the Program’s completion.
Results: The findings based on ProQOL data indicated moderate burnout and compassion satisfaction and low secondary traumatic stress among staff. The nine staff members interviewed outlined positive and challenging impacts of BRP involvement. Staff interviewed were positive about the wellbeing support implemented by RFW and the promotion of a culture that prioritised staff wellbeing. They also reported employing a variety of personal strategies to maintain their wellbeing and emphasised the importance of self-awareness of signs indicating their need to implement wellbeing strategies.

Conclusion: AHPs benefit from regular monitoring and psychosocial support to mitigate the negative impacts of disaster recovery work. This monitoring and support can assist in maintaining a sense of staff wellbeing during the planning and delivery of disaster recovery programs. The findings of this study underscores the importance of implementing proactive strategies to safeguard AHPs' wellbeing in disaster recovery initiatives.