The Staff Health and Wellbeing team at Nottinghamshire Healthcare, work in collaboration with services to provide staff with the physical and mental health core support offer. We also work in conjunction with our own staff who wish to offer help, support and signposting to colleagues, as well as raising awareness of wellbeing activities taking place within the Trust, and promoting healthy lifestyles and positive mental health. Here are some examples of some of the additional health and wellbeing support we offer to all of our staff.
Mindfulness
Nottinghamshire Healthcare offers a number of mindfulness options free to all Trust staff, including drop in practices, workshops and courses.
Mindfulness is a way of reducing stress and enhancing wellbeing through simple yet powerful practices that can be brought into daily life. These can support you in the midst of working life and with the wider demands of the modern world. Mindfulness develops our ability to become aware of where the mind is and with practice we can learn how to untangle ourselves from the stream of thoughts that we experience that may be causing distress. Strengthening our attention through practising mindfulness gives us the opportunity to choose what we pay attention to and how we can respond in a way that optimises our wellbeing.
Chaplaincy and Spiritual care
The Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team covers the whole Trust and provides a service for both patients and staff.
They are open to all people whether they have a specific religion, spirituality or none.
The team are happy to listen to, support and work with staff to find the best way to support them. Whether it is the demands or effects of work pressures or personal life – you can contact them.
Health and Wellbeing Champions
Health and Wellbeing Champions, are members of staff who support the Trusts Health and Wellbeing strategy and agenda, by promoting activities and initiatives and encouraging colleagues to access relevant health and wellbeing support. They also role model healthy working practices within their department.
In their local areas, Staff Health and Wellbeing Champions are a point of contact so that they can support and signpost people who approach them for information or if they are experiencing difficulties or have questions about their health and wellbeing.
Champions will know their work areas and colleagues so will be best placed to know what will work best in that environment and can pick out resources that fit their local environments.
This is a voluntary role for any Trust staff member that is enthusiastic and interested in health and wellbeing.
Any staff member can become a champion. To find out more, speak to your line manager upon commencement of your role.
Mental Health First Aiders
Mental health first aiders are employees who challenge stigma and encourage positive mental health in the organisation and for its workforce. They help the organisation by promoting positive mental health and role model positive mental health working practices. They are there to have conversations with colleagues about mental health, and to signpost individuals to appropriate available support
The Trust has over 100 trained mental health first aiders across the organisation. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course, which teaches people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and to provide help on a first aid basis. MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, but just like physical first aid, it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis.
There are plenty of different types of support out there, and while a Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAider) are not therapists or diagnosticians, they can give initial support and signpost to appropriate help if required.
This is a voluntary role for any Trust staff member that is interested in mental health and supporting others and is approachable and willing to help.
Any staff member can become a Mental Health First Aider. To find out more, speak to your line manager upon commencement of your role.