Scottish Ballet sessions to help NHS and social care staff

Health at Hand has been created by Scottish Ballet, in consultation with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government.

It aims to address physical and mental health and alleviate some of the impacts from working long periods.

Scottish Ballet’s engagement team will film a package of three video sessions every two weeks, offering exercises that are tailored to warm the body at the start of a shift, create physical and mental balance during breaks and release stress the body contains at the end of shifts.

Designed for individual participants or small groups, the ten minute sessions are available via Scottish Ballet’s YouTube channel.

The team will also be offering a stand-alone 20 minute resource for those experiencing trauma, based on their expertise of working with the care and prison system.

Scottish Ballet’s Health at Hand will formulate part of the organisation’s SB Health strand and follows the success of adapting its existing dance health classes, moving each of them online to engage with communities across Scotland and reaching weekly views of up to 65,000.

Catherine Cassidy, director of engagement at Scottish Ballet, said: “We are dedicated to sharing the work of our SB Health team, using the experience and knowledge from the dance health field to help staff working across the NHS and social care system.

“Working in partnership with the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and Social Care Well-being Champions, we are confident that these bespoke resources will benefit people working across services; alleviating stress on the body and mind.”

The move was welcomed by Clare Haughey, Scotland’s Mental Health Minister.

She said: “I’m really pleased Scottish Ballet has partnered with NHS Scotland to offer practical ways for health and social care workers to support their mental health through exercise and movement.

“These online classes will help people stay active and complements the Scottish Government’s Clear Your Head campaign.”

For more information on the classes, visit the website at www.scottishballet.co.uk/health-at-hand.