A survey of 39 staff employed at Spectrum specialist personality disorder service was conducted during the initial National lockdown to investigate their mental health, physical health, sleep quality, management of relationships, alcohol consumption, eating patterns, and use of media. Two participants (5.1%) experienced ‘coronaphobia’. Participants reported a diversity of experiences affecting their health status during this time.

The most challenging aspect of the first lockdown reported by participants was the loss of social interactions with family and friends. However, staff reported that engaging in their work from home by using digital technology obviated the work commute, thereby providing opportunities to spend more quality time with household family members and for self-reflection.

These findings provide valuable information for mental health service managers to understand their staff well-being while engaged in work from home in a clinical capacity, suggesting that having the option to continue working remotely helped to mitigate many of the adverse aspects of social restrictions that arose during the global pandemic.

This study is reported in the Australian Psychologist, a publication of the Australian Psychological Society. For more information, please visit: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/QIG3JYQHDVFBXPHTHX6W/full?target=10.1080/00050067.2021.1990735