Moral distress is the feeling that staff experience when they cannot carry out what they believe is the right course of action due to real or perceived limitations on that action.

The ongoing impact on health and care workers of responding to unlimited need with limited resources can lead to moral distress. This can be especially difficult when it feels like personal and professional values are being compromised.

The team at KeepingWell NCL is increasingly aware that moral distress may be experienced by managers who often occupy a singular position on the organisational boundary between their staff, service users and the wider organisation. For example, managers may find themselves defending unacceptable situations for staff and service users, stepping in to fill gaps at a cost to their own wellbeing and generally carrying the burden of trying to keep services running safely, often without recourse to the peer support available to their team members.

This 75-minute workshop will provide a safe space for participants to explore how the concept of moral distress may help managers to make sense of their experiences. It will be an opportunity to connect with peers and to think together about what might enhance coping.