Health and Wellbeing during Covid - how we have supported our workforce through its biggest challenge yet

Health and Wellbeing

Supporting Team DBTH through Covid-19 and beyond

At DBTH the health and wellbeing of our colleagues has always been our top priority and never more so than in the last twelve months. There is no doubt that 2020 has been the most challenging year in NHS history and we have seen our colleagues pull together to go above and beyond each and every day. It is vital that we keep our people safe, healthy and well – both physically and psychologically. The Health and Wellbeing team are working hard to support our people and to promote our support offer across our three hospital sites. Early on in the pandemic the team pulled together a pack signposting teams to the support available. Here are just a few of the services accessed: • Reiki practitioner – Over 300 staff have accessed this free onsite provision • The Talk, Listen, Care service has made over 7000 calls to absent staff in regards to stress, anxiety, depression, child care problems, Covid-19 symptoms and/or Covid positive. This service is a check in service to see what if any support is needed, this could be with shopping or signposting to services available eg counselling, reiki etc. • Rainbow rooms were created across all three sites giving staff a place to go for a well needed break and to recharge. The rooms were filled with tea and coffee and

Health & wellbeing materials. • Following an appeal to create two

Rainbow Memorial Gardens one at

Doncaster Royal Infirmary and one at

Bassetlaw Hospital over £40,000 was raised. The first of the gardens opened in September 2020 at Bassetlaw Hospital and the garden at Doncaster Royal

Infirmary will open in April 2021. A garden is already in place at Montagu

Hospital and a memorial to all those we have lost to Covid-19, including our three much missed colleagues, will be placed in each of the gardens. • Staff Physiotherapy Service is well established and supports people who experience musculoskeletal disorders which affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and other soft tissues and joints.

The common complaints are back, neck, shoulder and knee pain. • Comfort packs were created for patients being discharged who had no family support available to them. The packs included toiletries, tea and coffee etc. • Vivup, our Employee Assistance

Provision provides help 24/7, 365 days a year giving our colleagues access to confidential impartial assistance, including counselling, for issues such as anxiety and depression. There is also a Listening

Line and a Bereavement Support Line set up which provides assistance on a wide range of matters including domestic abuse and financial wellbeing support.

The staff benefits scheme enables colleagues to purchase items from home electronics to cars and gym memberships through salary sacrifice. • There are over fifty Health & Wellbeing

Champions supporting the Health and

Wellbeing Team sharing information and signposting colleagues to different offers. • A Step Challenge was created to encourage our colleagues to get moving, this created much competition between departments! • Free cycle events across our sites servicing staff the opportunity to have their bikes serviced for free. As well as promoting

the benefits of cycling to work we also promoted our on-site facilities including shower facilities and secure bike shelters on all sites. • Free Wellbeing Phone Apps a list of free apps available for NHS staff was made available including Headspace and Sleepio. • Health & Wellbeing Calendar was created with monthly campaigns run giving staff access to advice and information on a variety of topics including sleep, menopause and smoking and alcohol. Our Health and Wellbeing offer is continually expanding as colleagues share with us what their needs are and what would support them to maintain their health and wellbeing. We are always interested in new ways and ideas to support the wellbeing of our people.