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Health and Wellbeing
The world finally seems to be opening its eyes and recognising the immense scale of neurodiversity and the way it affects people’s lives. But with this awareness and recognition comes a surge of demand and a rapidly growing waitlist for assessments, diagnoses, and treatments.
One of our Senior Personal Bankers, Elizabeth has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental condition that can have an impact on a person’s concentration levels, time management, and ability to follow instructions, among many other symptoms. ADHD’s representation across social media along with the sudden disruption to routine brought about by the pandemic have helped more and more people realise that this is a condition that affects them but have frustratingly had to join an enormous queue to be treated. Elizabeth talked to us about living with ADHD and how the bank’s healthcare benefits fast-tracked her diagnosis.
‘I wasn’t really aware that ADHD was a thing,’ explains Elizabeth, ‘other than the stereotype of naughty boys in school but when I studied psychology at university, I learned more about it there. I also had some friends who had been diagnosed with it and the more we talked about it the more I realised I had so many of its common symptoms and traits.
Living with a neurodivergent condition
‘I really wanted to get a diagnosis because it was impacting my life in a negative way. When I was in school and university, I could never complete an assignment until just before the deadline. It was like there was a mental block that would stop me. And in day-to-day life, I find managing the basics really difficult; I get really bad brain fog and when I’ve got too many things on my mind, and I just sort of blank out because I’m too overwhelmed. I also let myself get burned out, because I’m either putting my all into work or my home. I never have a nice balance; the house will be in a state, but I’m smashing it at work, or I’m a bit all over the place at work, but my house is immaculate.
Getting diagnosed
‘I tried to go down the GP route but got dismissed because I couldn’t evidence it with school reports or verification that anyone had picked it up before. When I joined the bank, I realised that I could do it through Aviva, the bank’s healthcare partner, and there was no excess for the neurodivergent pathway which was a bonus, so I signed up straight away. I’m quite lucky, because through the Aviva pathway, I got my diagnosis and I was eligible for cognitive behavioural therapy. I’ve also just started my medication and things have already calmed down quite a bit.’
NatWest employees have access to private medical cover with Aviva as one of the NatWest Select benefits. Elizabeth explains that this played an important role in her decision to join the bank.
‘It was something that I always looked into when I was applying for jobs.’ she explains. ‘I had private healthcare before joining but it was a lot more expensive, so it was definitely a factor, but I didn’t fully understand what was on offer until my manager sat me down and went through everything. I realised they offered all these extra things I’d never thought of, and they are all so amazing. When I first contacted Aviva I said, “I think I’ve got ADHD; what do I do?” They were brilliant, they walked me through everything. I had a questionnaire to begin with, then a Zoom appointment where they did the full assessment, and then fairly quickly, they got in contact and outlined all the options available that were covered. They really held my hand through it all and it was so fast and really refreshing.
Understanding ADHD
‘There are three types of ADHD: inattentive, attentive, and combined,’ Elizabeth explains. ‘I’m combined, but more towards the inattentive side so I’m often fidgety and restless and after my assessment, I had comments from the assessor regarding every question I’d answered. This was worth its weight in gold, not only in terms of understanding how I operate but also if I need to apply for anything and need evidence and an explanation regarding what I need support with. I was able to take this to my line manager and branch manager to show them how they can support me. It also makes me feel better to think that people don’t just think I’m a bit useless and it’s nice to be able to put a label on it.’
Life after treatment
As well as the support from her managers, Elizabeth told us how her diagnosis, treatment, and medication have helped her function productively in day-to-day life.
‘It’s positively impacted all aspects of my life,’ smiles Elizabeth, ‘but especially at work. I’m a lot more organised and I’m a lot more on it! Before my treatment, by the end of the week I’d get a bit flappy, but now I feel I’m in control and I’ve learned different ways to manage if I feel like I’m losing the plot a bit or feeling a bit brain foggy. It’s also affirming to know I’m not a bit lazy; my brain is just wired a bit differently.
‘I’m constantly championing the service. Every time a friend at work mentions anything health related, I tell them to get the Aviva cover to avoid waiting for weeks and weeks and if you have kids, they’re covered too! The entire experience has been very positive. It’s something that I’m so glad to have been able to do through work, and although I’m fairly new to the bank, it’s made me realise that NatWest looks after us. I now feel I’m better at work and at home, and I’m generally a better person.’
