Throughout the years, our staff have been fantastic in hosting and supporting localised initiatives, which have all set a high-quality standard for us to build upon and launch a more formal, official action plan and programme. In 2015, the NHS implemented a set of Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) standards that encompassed national research and discussions to reflect their commitment to support staff and their physical and mental health. From this, our Health & Wellbeing team have been working hard to make sure our staff feel healthy in themselves and well looked after, both in work and at home. This exciting progress and commitment has been awarded with a nationally-recognised Workplace Wellbeing Charter Mark.
Located on our Preston site, our Health and Wellbeing Centre offers all staff at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals a peaceful and confidential space to discuss their thoughts and attend seminars and classes, such as Yoga and arts and crafts. Following the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ guidelines from the New Economics Foundation, our staff are encouraged to:
- Give
- Connect
- Be Active
- Take notice
- Learn
All of these suggestions have been met with great enthusiasm, helping our busy staff to unwind and take notice of their own health in addition to their patients’! For activities that they are passionate about or can include in their day-to-day tasks, some of our staff have taken on the role of Health & Wellbeing Champions, encouraging others to join in and making our hospitals a better place to be. Over the past few months, lots of events have taken place and groups have formed to support our staff and their interests. In particular, Mindfulness sessions have been a huge hit! Encouraging staff to check in with their minds and bodies in the present moment, these sessions reduce stress and help with decision making. Following on from this success, we now have a dedicated room for Health & Wellbeing in our Chorley site’s library, where staff can take part in drop-in sessions, loan books or just embrace the quiet.
For the future, our Health & Wellbeing team are looking forward to making even more progress in empowering our staff, helping us to form a solid support network and boost the health and wellbeing of everyone working in our hospitals.
