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NHS staff encouraged to take time for themselves
Colleagues at our Trust who spend their working lives looking after others have this week been encouraged to take some time out to look after themselves.
The third Love Yourself Week, organised by the Trust’s communications team with support from colleagues and local businesses, runs from 14 to 20 March. The initiative started in February 2021 to highlight the staff support services on offer and share ideas to help people working through the pandemic focus on their wellbeing.
The March event coincided with the recent publication of the Trust’s five-year strategy: First for our patients, staff and the future, which includes a commitment to enhance and support staff wellbeing. Feedback from earlier weeks helped the team to design and facilitate content to suit as many people as possible.
The week included online videos about how to improve physical and mental wellbeing, so that colleagues could access them at any time.
The Trust’s own staff support psychology service provided a session on improving sleep; and showing the kindness and compassion we offer others without hesitation to ourselves. Matt Lavers, exercise instructor with the community cardiac rehabilitation team, made a video about healthy ways to deal with stress and the catering team provided the recipe for the hospital’s famous cheese scones. A day focusing on the benefits of reading for self-help and relaxation was supported by Trust employee and author Michelle Kidd; and chaplaincy volunteer Robert Ogden performed relaxing music in the newly-refurbished hospital chapel.
Other local organisations also contributed, with videos shared by Barre Define which runs ballet-inspired fitness classes; OneLife Suffolk led a Wellbeing Walk around Hardwick Heath, and the benefits of walking and cycling – and ways to enjoy them in this lovely county – were promoted. In addition, the team at Rougham-based restaurant and cookery school ICE hosted an online recipe tutorial.
Executive director for workforce and communications Jeremy Over said: “Love Yourself Week is part of our commitment to support and enhance the wellbeing of all our staff, and reflects the “First for Staff” element of our recently-published Trust strategy. Colleagues working in health and care are still facing very challenging times, and have rightly been celebrated for their dedication and service. We hope staff at WSFT find the activities and resources on offer give them the opportunity to take some time to look after their own wellbeing.”
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