WAHT Health and Wellbeing receives Special Recognition Award from the Worcestershire Works Well (WWW) Partnership.

The extensive health and wellbeing support offered to hospital staff across the county has been recognised with a Special Recognition Award from the Worcestershire Works Well (WWW) Partnership.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s package of support for staff was recognised at a special webinar in March where businesses which have made significant progress on their health and wellbeing agenda were recognised.

The Trust, which runs the Alexandra, Kidderminster and Worcestershire Royal Hospitals, has been part of the Worcestershire Works Well network from the very early day of its inception and has introduced a wealth of support for staff over that time.

Jenni Carr-Smith, HR Business Partner, said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by WWW for this special award which recognises our commitment to enabling a sustainable culture of positive health and wellbeing and preventative interventions for all colleagues across our hospitals.

“We’re really proud of our Health and Wellbeing pinwheel and Supporting our Staff brochure which offers dedicated health and wellbeing information and resources for all staff, and we are delighted to have achieved Timewise Flexible Working accreditation. This means that we will work with all staff to explore flexible ways of working within their work area and role and consider how we can support colleagues to “bring their whole self to work”.

”Last year we became one of the first Trusts to develop a family leave policy to offer enhanced pay and time off for families experiencing fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, and early childbirth, earning ‘Employer with Heart’ status, and we have also recently signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, which means we recognise that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and that our staff need support.”

Other benefits include Occupational Health support, working carers support, onsite nurseries, and financial wellbeing support.

Only this week the Trust hosted a ‘Wellbeing Matters’ day for more than 100 staff to further equip them with the skills and tips for improving their own and their colleagues’ health and wellbeing, and also engaging them on what else they would like to see added to the existing packages of support available.

In their latest Worcestershire Works Well newsletter, WWW said: “The Trust has been generous in supporting other WWW businesses by sharing policies and approaches to help them to move forward with their own WWW journey.  What was so impressive is that they have sought out, recognised and acted on numerous health and wellbeing needs and challenges for staff at a local level; linking corporate, clinical and cultural challenges.  All involved in the WWW team felt that this hard work and dedication had to be acknowledged.”

For further information on health and wellbeing support available for staff at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, along with current vacancies, visit www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/work-for-us

PICTURED: (l to r) Hazel Compton, HR Manager for Health and Wellbeing and Flexible Working; Tina Ricketts, Director of People and Culture; Ann Hart, Staff Wellbeing Officer, and Jenni Carr-Smith, HR Business Partner, with Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust’s Wellbeing Recognition Award.