Working at St Giles Hospital is both rewarding and emotionally demanding, says acting superintendent Dr Sheetal Singh.
“Actually, when you’re working in a mental health facility, you can count it as a blessing and as a challenge as well,” Dr Singh said.
“The reason I’m going to talk of working in this facility as a blessing is because you become aware of the importance of mental health and you start to appreciate the little things that you have in life.”
She said staff developed a deeper understanding of their own wellbeing.
“You understand your own mental health, you’re able to educate your own families, your own communities so that’s a blessing; not every individual understands the importance of mental health, but we do.”
However, she acknowledged the emotional strain involved.
“A challenge because we encounter a lot of types of people, meaning people with different cultural backgrounds, with different faiths, with different norms.”
She said staff heard difficult stories daily.
“We are seeing them on a daily basis, we are hearing their side of the story, the challenges they face, and then being able to provide the treatment, being able to provide therapy is a challenge because you are hearing and you are absorbing the pain and the suffering they’re going through.”
She said rising drug-related cases had made the burden heavier.
“When it comes to the mental health of a person working in the medical facility, it becomes more crucial because we have our own load and then we are hearing from the clients and their families.”
