Better Health
at Work News New Year Changes
January 2016 In this issue Page 1 New Year Changes Page 2 Support to Recovery The Workplace Wellbeing Charter My Health Tools Kirklees Improving Access to Psychological Therapies [IAPT] British Heart Foundation Page 3 Kirklees Active Leisure Fit for Work Recipe for Life Dates for your diary
We hope you’ve had a great Christmas and New Year and have managed to recharge your batteries ready for positive changes in 2016. We have some big changes ahead of us too this year. As many of you will be aware, the Better Health at Work [BHAW] service will be closing in March. The Better Health at Work service is a funded project and with no future funds available and with other providers now offering this service outside the Council, the BHAW service will sadly close on the 31st March 2016. We will not be taking any further bookings as of January 2016, however, we will endeavour to make every effort to keep any pre-agreed events or appointments made prior to the 31st December 2015. Having worked with many of you over the years, we’d like to thank you for your support, your commitment and enthusiastic approach to health and wellbeing in your workplace. Whilst we will not physically be here to support you from March 2016, we hope that you continue to manage and implement the positive changes you have made and actively promote ‘better health at work’ within your organisations.
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We’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all the BHAW staff that have dedicated their time to the service over the years and for all the well wishes we have recently received from you all, including Sarah Muckle, Consultant in Public Health who commented:
“I just wanted to thank the Better Health at Work Team for all the hard work they have put into making the service a success over the years. Better Health at Work has achieved a lot and is an excellent example of how we tackle the connection between health and work.” Don’t forget if you do require any support, advice or information there are lots of other services available, some of which are featured in this newsletter. Rachel, Gillian, Dinah, Kerry, Angela
and Kelly
Support to Recovery Based in Hudersfield, Support to Recovery is a local mental health charity that has provided a range of services to the people of Kirklees for over twenty years.
a package of options and opportunities to help individuals design their own pathway to positive mental health, physical and spiritual well-being.
Commonly abbreviated to ‘S2R’, they have developed a reputation for diverse, inventive responses to the changing outlook of mental health service delivery.
With the support of S2R, people have been able to achieve personal outcomes, fulfilment, long term aspirations and recovery.
By working in collaboration with people who are affected by emotional distress, they have developed
S2R are open Monday – Thursday 10am-4pm. For further information, please call 01484 539531.
The Workplace Wellbeing Charter If you haven’t already achieved charter status you can find help by visiting the Workplace Wellbeing Charter website www.wellbeingcharter.org.uk
can reduce sickness absence, lower staff turnover and boost productivity - this is good for employers, workers and the wider economy.
The Workplace Wellbeing Charter is an opportunity for employers to demonstrate their commitment to the health and wellbeing of their workforce.
The Workplace Wellbeing Charter provides employers with an easy and clear guide on how to make workplaces a supportive and productive environment in which employees can flourish. Several businesses within Kirklees have already achieved the Charter and have reported the positive impacts it has made within their business.
The positive impact that employment can have on health and wellbeing is now well documented. There is also strong evidence to show how having a healthy workforce
My Health Tools Kirklees Council have developed a webpage dedicated to self-help for people who live in Kirklees and have chronic pain, breathing problems or anxiety. My Health Tools is a new online tool which aims to help people manage their long term health conditions. My Health Tools helps people manage the impact of their long term health condition through providing practical information, tools and skills. To find out how it could help you, visit their website
www.myhealthtools.uk
Kirklees Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Four out of ten people in the UK experience common psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression. The IAPT Service provides a choice of talking therapies for people experiencing common mental health problems such as depression, stress, panic and obsessive compulsive disorder. The service is for anyone who
lives in Kirklees and is over 18 years old, gain a new understanding of their difficulties and develop new ways of coping. People can self-help and refer themselves to IAPT by calling: 01484 434625/6 or you can complete an online form. For further information and the online form visit www.askforiapt.co.uk
British Heart Foundation
Sign up to the British Heart Foundation’s Health at Work programme and receive up to date health and wellbeing ideas. The BHF programme is designed to inspire and support health and wellbeing in the workplace. They also run Health and Wellbeing Days which inform and inspire your workforce through fun and interactive sessions with experts. For further information and to sign up, visit the British Heart Foundation website www.bhf.org.uk/health-at-work
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Kirklees Active Leisure Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) manages 16 leisure facilities across Kirklees including the new Huddersfield Leisure Centre. Their facilities offer a wide range of services which cater for all ages and abilities. If you’d like to find out more about KAL’s services visit their website www.kirkleesactive.co.uk
Fit for Work especially benefit those employers who currently have limited in-house occupational health services.
Fit for Work is free and helps employees stay in or return to work. It provides an occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and GPs.
Employers can accept Return to Work Plans issued through Fit for Work as evidence of sickness absence in exactly the same way as a GP fit note.
Fit for Work will complement, and not replace, existing occupational health services provided by employers. It will fill the gap in support that currently exists and will
For further information and to refer an employee go to www.fitforwork.org
Recipe for Good Health Preparation time - the rest of your life
Serves 1
Ingredients • 150 mins of Physical Activity a week (moderate intensity) • Five sections of the Eatwell Plate (but remember to limit the fats and sugar section!) • Five portions of fruit and veg a day • No smoking • Up to 14 units of alcohol per week • Two alcohol free days
Method Put these all together and add a generous helping of rest and relaxation, and enjoy a healthier happier you.
Don’t forget - dates for your diary in 2016 Dry January it’s not too late Abstain from alcohol in January? The many benefits include weight loss, better sleep and more money in your bank account. Take a look at the Dry January website for the ten top tips for Dry January and to calculate how many units you are having using the unit calculator www.dryjanuary.org.uk/impact-calculator
Heart Month February Look at making small changes to your lifestyle during Heart Month 2016 to look after your heart. Learn how to keep your heart healthy, get involved in fundraising and volunteering and join a free health at work programme, to help you promote health and wellbeing in the workplace. Find out more here http://bit.ly/1Hn1zM1
Better Health at Work, Flint Street, Fartown, Huddersfield HD1 6LG Tel:01484 416777
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