The emotional health program has already served more than a hundred health professionals

A success that has surpassed even the initial prospects. The Ministry of Health and Social Policies will “consolidate and expand” next year the emotional support program for health and social health personnel, included in the Mental Health Strategy of La Rioja, which in its first months has already served more than a hundred of professionals since its launch last February.

“During the first months of this program, 110 people have been served, 83 health and socio-health professionals and 27 nurses, a figure that denotes both its success and the need to continue working,” said the head of Health, María Martín, in an appearance in which she was accompanied by the presidents of the official medical associations, Inmaculada Martínez; of Psychology, Pilar Calvo; and from Nursing, Raquel Velilla. The deputy director general of Mental Health, Carlos Piserra, was also present.

After the benefits shown by the initiative, the counselor has announced that the program will continue in 2025, expanding services such as emotional support to Riojan resident doctors, because “maintaining the good mental health of the professionals who care for us, who heal us, is “an essential requirement to guarantee quality care in La Rioja.”

The implementation of the program in its first year has entailed a cost close to 100,000 euros from funds from the Mental Health Action Plan of the Ministry of Health -50,000 for the College of Psychologists, 25,000 for the College of Nursing and 19,843 for the College of Physicians (as a complement to the PAIME, Comprehensive Care Program for Sick Doctors, which has been developed at the state level for decades) – items that will be cloned during the next year, according to María Martín, who has pointed out that “the Counseling will continue to collaborate with the three professional associations involved, because it is the most effective way and they are the most appropriate to assess their needs and treatments.”

The program, which includes psychological support and care workshops, as well as individual psychological support consultations, will be expanded next year with special training for new internal resident doctors (MIR), with the aim of “enhancing the skills from the professional for humanized and personalized health care; “stimulate self-care skills to prevent stress derived from professional intervention or promote attitudes that favor an adequate approach to the patient and their family.”

“It’s about caring for those who care,” said the head of Health, who announced that each of the schools will continue to develop its own strategy, but with common characteristics, and that emotional regulation workshops or courses will also continue to be scheduled. and coping with stressful life processes, which will be completed with an individualized psychotherapy program, with special attention to anxiety disorders, depression, burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder that arise in the work environment.

“During this year, professionals have been able to access emotional support, but we have considered that given the level of pressure they have in the first years, it is interesting that specific training be provided for them,” explained Pilar Calvo, president of the Official College of Psychology of La Rioja, regarding the future care and training plan for Rioja resident doctors. “The objectives are to enhance professional skills that facilitate personalized and humanized care and promote attitudes that favor treatment for patients and families, among others, in addition to training emotional regulation and self-care skills to prevent,” added the psychologist. .

Great welcome and satisfaction

From the Official College of Physicians of La Rioja, its president, Inmaculada Martínez Torre, in addition to defending that “it is essential to take care of those who take care of us to maintain the quality of care in La Rioja” has highlighted that “the emotional support program has been “Welcome with great enthusiasm among the group and great good has been noted.” Finally, the president of the Official College of Nursing of La Rioja, Raquel Velilla, highlighted that 27 professionals from the group have asked for help with mental health problems related to work. “We are very happy with the reception,” she stated, calling for participation in the workshops. “We like to care, but it is very difficult for us to be cared for and we do not like to show that we are vulnerable, but we must end those barriers and stigmas, ask for help and go to the right professionals.”

Both this year and next, all health and social health personnel who wish to join the program and make use of its resources must contact their professional association, in order to access free, confidential assistance with the guarantee of respect for privacy and data protection.