That was a surreal week at work and I suspect next week will continue to push the envelope.
All non necessary face to face contacts cancelled with telephone calls, quizzes about physical health and support offered. Urgent visits still go ahead as do the clinics. Today I was duty worker and there was four of us doing the work of the whole team. With 8 a.m starts and 6 p.m finishes today took the biscuit with two of us dealing with one issue for half the day with police, safeguarding, crisis team, etc...roped in to deal with something we really don't want on the front page of the daily papers tomorrow. Mental health and potential homicides really do get the heart rate up! Hopefully all sorted for the weekend and we'll return to it on Monday.

                 Obligatory calming cat photo.

But it has all been surreal, like scenes from a disaster movie. Listening to the radio this morning, BBC radio 4 for the latest news but I mistuned the iPad and enjoyed twenty minutes of wine growing in the Lebanon which was enjoyable. The real news switched on and I felt like an actor in a disaster movie preparing to complete the opening scene. It doesn't feel real until I get to work and, more importantly, look at the empty shelves in the supermarket when I finish work. Eking out one slice per day of Hovis which is kept in the fridge and the use by date was a week ago. Toasted with Marmite and it is edible. Having to shop for vulnerable people who can't get out whilst greedy selfish swine fill their trolleys. Eating the pastries at work donated by a local cafe because they have no customers. The daily missive from the trust corona crisis committee which always manages to be 24 hours behind the latest developments. A noticeable absence of managers for our team and relying on managers from other divisions. Colleagues in tears and sharing laughs, black humour and very much near the knuckle jokes. We are stressed but carrying on. If there is any truth in doing this for the next twelve weeks I can see teams crumbling. But we are supporting each other, keeping tabs on each others well being and we have set up a team whatsapp to share shit and giggles both in and outside of work. 

I will stop there as I intend to get drunk and listen to music.

Keep well, look out for each other and be kind.

TTFN.