#SunnySocks4Docs campaign aims to raise awareness about mental health issues in healthcare workers

Posted on by bemsapresident

Nederlands versie / version française

Friday the 7th of June is #SunnySocks4Docs! On this day, we encourage doctors and healthcare workers to wear different colourful socks in order to raise awareness about mental health issues that many healthcare workers are facing in Belgium. Participants are requested to take a picture of their socks at work and post them on social media with the hashtag #SunnySocks4Docs.

In Belgium, 40% of doctors suffer from emotional exhaustion. 6,6% of them are working with a clinical burn-out (KUL & Idewe 2012).

Our goal to raise awareness for mental health-issues in healthcare workers. We want to spark a nationwide discussion on the topic, break the stigma and taboo surrounding it, and let people having a hard time know that that they are not alone.

In the weeks leading up to the campaign, we will be posting teasers, infographics, and facts about mental health on our Facebook and Instagram profiles, so keep an eye on it.

Join us on the 7th of June for #SunnySocks4Docs

#SunnySocks4Docs poster with brief instructions: 1) Wear different and colourful socks 2) Take a photo and share on social media 3) Use the SunnySocks4Docs hashtag and spread the word

Infographics

In the days before June 7, we will be sharing some infographics to give you some more background on the problem.

Media toolkit

All media materials such as logo's, posters and banners can be found here.

Do you wish to invite people to join the campaign via email? We've got you covered! Find our template here.

Links to the press release of the 2nd of June:

Updates

  • 21/05 - Our Facebookevent is now live and can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/467240364019717/.
  • 24/05 - The Walloon reference centre for mental health Crésam (http://www.cresam.be/) is excited to join the campaign and will share the call on their social media channels. Thank you Crésam!
  • 27/05 - Additionally, the faculty of medicine and health sciences of Ghent University (www.UGent.be) and the Ghent University Hospital (www.UZGent.be) will join us and are excited to cooperate!
  • 28/05 - Our campaign was featured in Artsenkrant today! Make sure to read the paper version on Friday and subscribe to the newsletter to read the full interview.
  • 03/06 - Thank you to VLESP (Flemish expertise centre for suicide prevention), Medi-Sfeer, De Specialist / Le Spécialiste, Ordre des Médecins / Orde der Artsen, KU Leuven Faculty of Medicine and the VIGL (Flemish healthy lifestyle institute) for their support!