Don't put yourself last

The last few years have been difficult for everyone, and this is particularly true for health-care professionals, who have been at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of you may have lost colleagues, many of you are likely to feel exhausted, perhaps unvalued by ministers or the public or taken for granted, and many of you may have considered a change in careers. The impact of the pandemic on staff wellbeing can never be understated. Christmas et al's (2022) study, published in the previous issue of CHHE, showed that the pandemic put staff at risk of burnout, work-related stress, and fatigue; it negatively affected work-life balance and led to an increased sense of isolation and a lack of engagement.

And of course, all of this will also affect health professionals' ability to care for others, not to mention the quality of our vital services. The airplane safety analogy springs to mind – we must put on our own oxygen masks before coming to the aid of others.