Support for the wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers should be incorporated in health emergency preparedness planning

Journal article : Review

Health system resilience requires a resilient and well workforce. During health crises, including pandemics and outbreaks of pathogens, frontline healthcare workers can face significant challenges, resulting in personal psychosocial costs for staff members, and organisational consequences for the health systems they work within. Here, we highlight that there is an urgent need to proactively incorporate organisational measures to protect and promote the wellbeing of frontline healthcare staff across all stages of response to health crises. Importantly, this not only involves specific emergency preparedness and planning efforts, but also supporting organisational-level everyday practices that foster staff wellbeing and health system resilience outside of crises.

Authors: McNeil, K; Nzekwu, S; Gilson, L; Hinga, A; Oluoch, D

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: communications medicine
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 31
• Publication date: 2026-01-16
• Acceptance date: 2025-12-26
• DOI: 10.1038/s43856-025-01367-8
• EISSN: 2730664X
• ISSN: 2730664X
• Language: English
• Subtype: Review