UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF MORECAMBE BAY NHS TRUST
TRUST BOARD MEETING
To be held on 21 July 2010 Agenda No 9c
Report of: / Director of Human Resources – Roger WilsonPaper Prepared by: / Anna Smith – Head of Occupational Health and Safety
Date of Paper: / 6 July 2010
Subject: / Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Care Quality Commission Standards: / Outcomes 12, 13, 14
Assurance Framework Link:
Auditors Local Evaluation (ALE) Link:
Background Papers:
Item Considered at Earlier Committees
(pls detail mtgs):
Patient & Public Involvement:
In case of query, please contact: / Anna Smith – Ext 55343
Purpose of Paper:
To present the draft staff Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the Trust for approval.
AGENDA ITEM NO 9c
TRUST BOARD MEETING: 21 JULY 2010
Draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2010 - 2013
1.0 Strategic vision
1.1 The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust is an organisation that encourages personal responsibility for health and wellbeing, promoting positive lifestyle behaviours and supporting and empowering staff and their families to make changes where appropriate. Underpinning this is the recognition that when an organisation is managed well, the general wellbeing of staff at work is improved. In achieving this, we are setting a sound example, delivering good health messages and providing a better service to our patients.
2.0 How the strategy fits in
2.1 Essentially we see three key strands to supporting health and wellbeing within an organisation:
2.2 a) A good general management regime
2.2.1 The Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards provide a model and a benchmark for the good management of the organisation. It is recognised that an organisation which is managed well is inherently managing those factors which contribute to stress and poorer wellbeing in work. The Trust’s Stress Management policy and Management and Leadership Development frameworks contribute significantly to the health and wellbeing agenda of the organisation.
2.3 b) Visible commitment to health promotion and life-style improvement.
2.3.1 The UHMBT Public Health Strategy states that ‘We need to change the perception of the NHS from one of a treatment service to one where more effective prevention and better support for lifestyle choices can result in healthier outcomes for all. Addressing lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity can both reduce the incidence of chronic disease and premature deaths.’
2.3.2 Workplace Health is a key pillar within the Public Health Strategy focussing on issues of smoking, weight management, exercise, diet and mental health and the role the employer can play in supporting work in these areas. The Trust recognises the link between good employee health and the effect this has on improving and maintaining the health of their families and the wider community.
2.3.3 The Trust is committed to becoming a Health Promoting Hospital which encompasses health promotion amongst staff as well as patients, visitors and the wider community.
2.3.4 The NHS Staff Constitution pledges to provide all staff with support and opportunities to maintain their health, wellbeing and safety.
2.3.5 The Boorman review recommends that:
o The NHS provides staff health and wellbeing services centred on prevention of both work related and lifestyle induced ill-health, aligned with wider public health policies and are seen as a real and tangible benefit of working in the NHS.
o Trusts develop and implement strategies for actively improving the health and wellbeing of the workforce and particularly for tackling the major health and lifestyle issues that affect their staff and wider community.
o NHS leaders and managers are developed and equipped to recognise the link between staff health and wellbeing an organisational performance and that their actions are judged in terms of whether they contribute to or undermine employee health and wellbeing.
o Trusts put staff health and wellbeing at the centre of their work with an identified board – level champion and senior managerial support.
o Training in health and wellbeing should be an integral part of management training and leadership development at all levels and should be built into annual performance assessments and personal development planning processes.
o High priority should be given to ensuring that managers have the skill and tools to support staff with mental health problems.
o Trusts should achieve an exemplar service by basing their health and wellbeing strategy on proper assessment of key health priorities and risk factors and should reflect their legal obligations in this area.
o As well as providing core health and wellbeing services to nationally specified standards, Trusts should provide a range of additional staff health and wellbeing services targeted at the needs of the organisation. There should be engagement with staff to determine the services staff would wish to see.
o Health and wellbeing strategies are developed with the full involvement of staff and staff reps and that implementation is routinely monitored and discussed with staff and staff reps.
o Services subsequently commissioned must be available on an equitable basis and they must be properly resourced, monitored, regularly assessed and reviewed.
2.3.6 The NHS is experiencing challenging times in the current economic climate and there is undoubtedly an impact on all staff not only in connection with their own employment but also the experiences of their families, friends and wider communities. However, our primary concerns are patient care and service delivery and staff will need to be resilient and able to respond to the pressures around them. The Trust acknowledges its role in preparing and equipping staff and supporting them in these circumstances.
2.4 c) Effective and evidence-based interventions to reduce ill-health, rehabilitate people back into productive work and promote wellbeing.
2.4.1 Evidence shows that organisations with better staff health profiles report fewer accidents, incidents and errors in their work. Investing in health – particularly in mental health and musculo-skeletal disorders will improve the health and safety performance of the organisation which in turn contributes to better patient safety and to compliance with the legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
2.4.2 The Boorman Review advocates that early access to key evidence-based interventions should form a core part of the Occupational Health provision within NHS organisations. In particular, interventions aimed at supporting staff through illness from mental health and musculo-skeletal disorders should be delivered as standard. Guidance on mental health and wellbeing at work, from NICE and from the National Mental Health and Employment Strategy should be implemented by Trusts.
2.4.3 The Public Health teams deliver evidence based interventions around a range of issues relevant to our staff. We will identify key areas for focus relative to the local issues for the Trust and the wider public health agenda and work in partnership with Public Health to provide opportunities for delivery and take up by staff.
3.0 Key aims and objectives of the strategy
In the table overleaf:
Short term objectives will be achieved within 3 – 6 months
Medium Term objectives will be achieved within 6 – 18 months
Long term objectives will be achieved within 18 months to 3 years
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Aim / Objectives / S/M/L term3.1 / To recognise that staff health and wellbeing is affected by a wide range of factors in the workplace which can be managed and improved through good management principles and the provision of evidence-based health interventions where relevant. / 3.1.1 Trust Board adopt, promote and monitor implementation and effectiveness of the strategy. / Short - Long
3.2 / To demonstrate commitment to becoming a health promoting organisation, / 3.2.1 Executive and Non-Executive Health and Wellbeing Champions at Board level will be nominated to ensure direction and scrutiny.
3.2.2 The Trust will communicate and respond to the findings within the NHS staff survey and develop an action plan to address issues arising. / Short
Short
3.3 / To engage staff in the wellbeing agenda and encourage personal responsibility for health and healthy living, / 3.3.1 All staff will be aware of the Health and Wellbeing strategy and will be involved in defining its future direction and delivery.
3.3.2 Staff will be engaged on how the workplace could be a healthier place to work.
3.3.3 Staff will be able to recognise that their contributions through involvement have had an impact and will perceive a strong focus on staff health / Short
Short
Medium
3.4 / To create the opportunities for health promoting practice, as an integral part of the Trust’s work and culture, / 3.4.1 Relationships will be strengthened with other health promoting agencies to deliver interventions and opportunities to staff and to support the achievement of wider public health targets and objectives.
3.4.2 Health and Wellbeing awareness days will be delivered at all sites to assure staff of the ongoing commitment to supporting / Short/
Medium
Short/
Medium
3.5 / To ensure that the Trust is a healthy and safe place to work and visit, / 3.5.1. The Trust will seek to establish ways of measuring the impact of health and wellbeing initiatives and contribute to the research available in support of the business case for wellbeing in work.
3.5.2 The Trust performance on health and wellbeing of staff is periodically assessed and will be rated as excellent by external assessors / Medium
Medium
3.6 / To support staff who are managing health conditions and where possible help them to improve their wellbeing in work, / 3.6.1 Initial interventions will be delivered in the relation to the four local factors of physical activity, body weight, sleep and stress and a longer term action plan will be developed for sustained delivery of opportunities.
5.6.2 The Trust will seek to develop and provide health and wellbeing services in line with the recommendations within the Boorman review for mental health and musculo-skeletal disorders. / Short/
Medium
Medium
3.7 / To make a positive impact on the health, wellbeing, morale and engagement of the staff, / 3.7.1 All staff will have access to a personal health check online.
3.7.2 The Dignity at Work policy will be relaunched and training provided for managers to reinforce appropriate behaviours and the appropriate use of the policy. / Short
Short/
Medium
3.8 / To make a positive impact on attendance, productivity, quality and safety within the trust, / 3.8.1 The Trust will ensure that Managers and Leaders recognise the link between health and wellbeing and organisational effectiveness via Management Development Training
3.8.2 Interventions will be measured to provide evidence to support the sustained delivery and focus on health and wellbeing factors at work
3.8.3 Productivity and financial targets are met for the next 3 years
3.8.4 Sickness absence targets are met for the next 3 years. / Medium
Medum/
Long
Medium/
Long
Medium/
Long
3.9 / To improve partnership work with our unions and other organisations with similar public health aims, such as other NHS organisations, local authorities, the voluntary sector and businesses / 3.9.1 Strong relationships will be evident between the Trust and other providers in relation to the provision of services and opportunities for staff to engage in health and wellbeing activities. Physical presence on site, provision of resources, take-up of services and promotional materials will be evident. / Short/
Medium
3.10 / To ensure evidence based interventions are provided for staff and are focussed on the specific wellbeing issues relevant to our staff. / 3.10.1 The Occupational Health Service will be realigned and rebranded to drive the health and wellbeing agenda forward within the organisation.
3.10.2 Access to mediation will be strengthened / Medium
Medium
3.11 / To complement the aims and objectives of the UHMBT Public Health Strategy and contribute to the achievement of them. / 3.11.1 Aims and objectives of Public health strategy will be achieved with support from identifiable links with the health and wellbeing activities of the Trust / Long
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4.0 Key Players
4.1 The Trust Board is accountable for the implementation of the strategy and for supporting the development of an appropriate culture through active promotion of health, wellbeing and the concept of “good work”.
It will appoint both Executive and Non-Executive Champions for health and wellbeing.
4.2 The Executive Management Team is responsible for implementing the strategy, setting the right example and creating the right conditions for health and wellbeing at strategic decision making level.
4.3 HR/OD Steering Group monitors the Staff Survey action plan, implementation of the People Strategy and acts as the Stress Steering Group directing and monitoring the organisational approach to stress management. It will oversee the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and ensure actions are taken forward and assurances are provided to the Board.
4.4 The Occupational Health, Human Resources and Health and Safety Departments will be required to work in an integrated way to drive the health and wellbeing agenda forward. They will work with managers, staff and other health providers to advise on and ensure delivery of the appropriate health and wellbeing interventions for the organisation.
4.5 We will work in partnership alongside the Public Health teams within the PCTs to enable them to actively deliver their services within the hospital environment for the benefit of staff, visitors and patients as appropriate and in accordance with the aims of the UHMBT Public Health Strategy.
4.6 Staff Side and Health and Safety representatives will engage with the Trust on the development and implementation of health and wellbeing initiatives and policies for staff and will actively promote the benefits of good work to their members and colleagues.
4.7 Managers are required to understand the relationship between work and health. They must strive to ensure access to initiatives for their staff, promote good working conditions, display good management behaviours and demonstrate sound management competencies.
4.8 Employees are required to take personal responsibility for their health and wellbeing and to access opportunities provided for them to learn about health and lifestyle factors and how to improve them. It is an employee’s responsibility to raise any health issues which negatively impact on their ability to function effectively at work with their manager and to seek out ways of managing such issues at work.