Hospital Health and Wellbeing Team nominated for national health and wellbeing award

The Trust, which operates three hospitals across two regions, has worked hard to improve its health and wellbeing offer for colleagues for a number of years, with a robust programme of activities, schemes and support available for the organisation’s over 6,600 employees.

Particularly important during the pandemic, and further enhanced since, the Trust’s health and wellbeing initiatives have yielded positive outcomes, with a range of initiatives such as complementary therapies, Reiki Seichem, menopause awareness sessions and support, physiotherapy, wellbeing trolleys, counselling and mental health support, as well as financial advice and signposting.

One notable initiative that has contributed to the team’s successful nomination is the establishment of smear clinics for female colleagues. These clinics offer convenient cervical screening appointments, including weekends and evenings, to accommodate shift workers. More than 150 individuals have already been seen through this initiative, resulting in eight referrals to the Colposcopy Team and 13 individuals requiring a repeat sample within the next year.

In a similar vein, the Health and Wellbeing Team’s “Know Your Numbers” campaign, which provides routine blood pressure checks, has also made a significant impact. Since its launch in 2021, a total of 495 colleagues have undergone assessment. Out of these, 53 individuals were identified with raised blood pressure and were referred to their GPs for further evaluation and support.

Additionally, the presence of Thunder the Therapy Dog has brought immense comfort and support to both staff and patients across the Trust, making almost 50 visits to date. Thunder’s calming effect has been particularly valuable in high-pressure areas such as the Emergency Department, where he has spent time with colleagues.

The Trust’s commitment to promoting a healthy and supportive work environment was recently recognized through the Gold Award for South Yorkshire’s Be Well @ Work. This prestigious accreditation acknowledges the organisation’s efforts in areas such as mental health, long-term conditions, and healthy eating. The submission showcased the Trust’s dedication to prioritising employee well-being and creating a workplace where colleagues can thrive.

Zoe Lintin, Chief People Officer at DBTH, said: “I am immensely proud that our Health and Wellbeing colleagues have been recognised in this way. Our approach to Health and Wellbeing is a core pillar of our newly launched People Strategy. A key focus of this five year document is to ‘Look after our people’ – this strand describes a number of key commitments of which looking out for the physical and emotional wellbeing of our colleagues is of paramount importance.

“This nomination is an affirmation of the outstanding efforts and innovative approaches our team has taken to enhance the well-being of colleagues. The passion, creativity, and empathy of our Health and Wellbeing Team have been instrumental in making a positive difference in the lives of our employees. This recognition is well-deserved and a reflection of their hard work – I want to wish them the very best of luck!”

In 2023, the Trust achieved an impressive response rate of 65.2% (approximately 4,252 colleagues) within the national Staff Survey – one of the highest in the country. Evidencing improvements in health and wellbeing, highlights from the questionnaire revealed that the Trust had improved its scores for ‘We are Safe and Healthy,’ with a rating of 6.0 compared to 5.9 pre-pandemic. Additionally, 67% of all colleagues (higher than pre-pandemic levels) reported that the organisation takes a positive interest in health and wellbeing, surpassing the national average of 57%.

DBTH is now working to achieve a Menopause Friendly Accreditation, and has been working closely with Channel 4’s Dr Dawn Harper to support colleagues.