NHS staff health and wellbeing

Helping you to look after the health and wellbeing of your staff and contribute to the delivery of quality patient care.

Research shows that where NHS trusts prioritise staff health and wellbeing and actively engage with staff to develop work in this area, levels of engagement increase, as does staff morale, loyalty, innovation and productivity. All these factors result in higher quality patient care.

Developing a sustainable health and wellbeing approach needs strong and clear leadership, supported by a solid strategy underpinned by a proactive and engaged approach.

In November 2021, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) launched a redesigned version of the NHS health and wellbeing framework. NHSEI worked closely with the SPF’s Workforce Issues Group on the redesign. The framework helps organisations identify the health and wellbeing needs of staff, plan and deliver appropriate support and interventions, and evaluate their impact.

- Team health and wellbeing guide to support all teams working in healthcare to improve their health and wellbeing through a culture-change approach.
- Wellbeing apps - NHS England compiled a list of apps which may help NHS staff. NHS staff can access Unmind for free until 31 December 2024 and Headspace for free until 31 March 2025.
- Promoting health and wellbeing and attendance at work - guidelines developed in partnership through the NHS Staff Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group to supplement and reinforce Annex 26 of the NHS terms and conditions of service handbook.
- Guidance on prevention and management of stress at work from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group of the NHS Staff Council.
- Sleep, fatigue and the workforce - information on the impact of fatigue on staff, and recommendations to improve sleep and rest.
- Back to basics for a healthy working environment infographic on the impact of hydration, nutrition, sleep, and regular breaks.
- Shift work in healthcare infographic on the importance of supporting shift workers.
- Burnout in healthcare: risk factors and solutions - a guide to the history, signs, symptoms and syndromes associated with burnout, and evidence-based solutions and case studies from occupational health and wellbeing professionals.
- NHS Employers has a dedicated web section to support employees going through the menopause in the workplace with information on how managers can provide support and help tackle the stigma surrounding menopause.
- Supporting our NHS people through menopause: guidance for line managers and colleagues - guidance from NHS England to support NHS organisations, line managers and members of staff to better understand the menopause and support colleagues experiencing symptoms.
- Menopause and occupational health e-Learning module - training from NHS England on supporting staff experiencing menopause.
- Domestic violence - a resource from NHS Employers offering insight into how domestic violence can affect staff and what can be done to support staff.
- Occupational health for NHS staff - insight from NHS Employers into occupational health services for NHS staff, benefits of services, and guidance for implementation.
- NHS Employers developed some useful information regarding reasonable adjustments in the workplace following the introduction of the Workforce Disability Equality Standard. The information outlines how employers can support all disabled staff through careful consideration of the individuals when implementing any reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
- The BMA's supporting health and wellbeing at work makes recommendations for improving the health and wellbeing of doctors.
- The GMCs independent report: Caring for doctors, Caring for patients looks into the wellbeing of doctors and medical students.
- The health and wellbeing communications guide produced by NHS Employers provides practical tools to help NHS health and wellbeing and staff experience leads deliver successful campaigns and initiatives.
- Second Victim Support is a resource for clinicians who are involved in a patient safety incident, their colleagues and the organisations they work for.
- What is financial wellbeing? - this infographic from NHS Employers showcases the value of good financial health for employers and staff.
- Evaluating your health and wellbeing programme - guidance for health and wellbeing leads on how to measure feedback from strategies and initiatives.
- Mental wellbeing in the workplace - this infographic from NHS Employers explores workforce mental wellbeing in the workplace.
- Mental health in the workplace - a web page from NHS Employers providing tools and resources to help you make positive improvements to mental wellbeing in the workplace.
- Mind, the mental health charity, has developed a number of resources to help support yourself and colleagues who are experiencing mental health issues at work.
- The Zero Suicide Alliance is a collaboration of NHS trusts, businesses and individuals who are all committed to suicide prevention in the UK and beyond. The alliance is ultimately concerned with improving support for people contemplating suicide by raising awareness of and promoting free suicide prevention training which is accessible to all.
- Access NHSE's Working together to prevent suicide in the NHS workforce toolkit, which is designed to help NHS organisations to reduce the risk of suicide in their workforce.
- Read the Postvention guidance for staff impacted by suicide on NHS Employers website for evidence-based guidance to improve support for NHS staff affected by colleague suicide.
- NHS employee suicide: a postvention toolkit to help manage the impact and provide support - resources to manage the impact of an employee suicide on colleagues.
- Your Mind Plan is a free online toolkit which asks five simple questions to help you manage and maintain your mental health.
- Supporting mental health at work guidance from acas.
- The British Medical Association (BMA) developed a charter to support the mental wellbeing of doctors and medical students.

NHS staff health and wellbeing

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