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Personal Wellbeing
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Relationships
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Fulfilment at work
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Environment
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Managers & Leaders
Personal Wellbeing
Personal health is more than the absence of dysfunction and disease. Mental and emotional health, physical health and a healthy lifestyle all contribute to an individual’s health and wellbeing - (NHSE Elements of Health and Wellbeing)
What can you do to support the mental, emotional and physical health of your team?
North Central London ICB have joined with North London Partnership Shared Service (NLPSS) Occupational Health Team for a one year pilot initiative, which aims to better understand the wellbeing needs of primary care and social care staff. This will guide future funding and initiatives.
The pilot program will enable NCL staff to access:
•Sessions for teams or services to talk about challenging situations and incidents at work.
•Teaching sessions to address specific concerns, e.g. sleep, anxiety, burnout.
•Consultations for managers facing difficulties in their teams.
•A confidential psychological assessment with a clinical psychologist, including feedback and recommendations.
How staff can access services:
•To enquire about arranging a consultation, group or teaching session: Contact NLPSS Occupational Health Team via the project lead, Dr Lucy Braude, Clinical Psychologist: lucy.braude@nhs.net
•Staff can self-refer for a psychological assessment by completing a simple online form and entering in the NCL Customer Code: MSHANG. This will enable them to be entered into our system and booked in for an assessment appointment.
Communicate support that is available to staff (posters, cards, coffee mornings, wellbeing agenda in meetings, wellbeing calendar in practice). The NCL Health & Wellbeing page has keeps an updated list of resources and events for you and your team.
Add the NCL Health and Wellbeing poster to your staff notice board or share virtually to ensure staff are able to access this page when needed.
Appoint a Health and Wellbeing Champion to build awareness of support and signpost staff to relevant resources. You can find out more and sign up on the NCL Health & Wellbeing webpage.
All GPNs working in north central London can now access confidential, restorative clinical supervision sessions delivered by a network of PNAs.
Restorative Supervision is designed to support the needs of professionals working with clinical caseloads and/or in roles which demand they be clear thinking and able to process information quickly and accurately in order to make decisions.
Find out more about the NCL PNA services and share this offer with your nursing team today.
Appoint a Health and Wellbeing Champion to build awareness of support and signpost staff to relevant resources. You can find out more and sign up on the NCL Health & Wellbeing webpage.
Free courses:
The Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace – Available to all boroughs
Mental Health Training in Camden - Available to those who work, live or study in Camden
Know of any other free Mental Health First Aider courses? Email neslisan.yilmaz@nhs.net and we will add them to this list.
The Handling difficult situations – Caring for yourself and others with compassion, e-learning module is a newly-developed training course for frontline, patient-facing NHS colleagues.
The training aims to upskill colleagues in how to handle difficult situations with compassion, using appropriate communication techniques and active listening skills, whilst very much focusing on how to keep yourself well if you feel affected by a situation.
The skills learnt in the training are intended to be used in a wide range of difficult situations, including where patients may present in a challenging or distressed manner, during instances of uncivil behaviour or when speaking about difficult topics of conversation.
Encourage staff to attend monthly NCL Integrated Schwartz Rounds. Schwartz Rounds are a multidisciplinary forum designed to bring staff together once a month to discuss and reflect on the emotional and social challenges associated with working in health and social care. Rounds provide a confidential space to reflect on and share experiences.
NCL Peer-led Mindfulness sessions
Find a moment of calm with colleagues practising mindfulness together.
This is an ongoing peer-led initiative on Teams with 15-minute sessions on Tuesdays at 12:00 and a 30-minute session on Fridays at 10:00.
No need to register, simply join via the link below.
You can also organise group meditation or mindfulness sessions by simply following a YouTube video or even identifying a team member who has an interest in meditation and breath work.
Provide team members with journals or other resources to write down reflections. These could be used as gratitude journals or just an opportunity to share reflections and thoughts.
Consider sharing reflections anonymously as a team to foster a sense of community and appreciation.
You could:
o Build awareness of organisations who provide free counselling for healthcare professionals. A list can be found on the NCL Training Hub website: Mental Health
o Offer subsidised or free counselling to staff directly as their employer
Provide staff with an Employee Assistance Programme (confidential, externally-provided telephone / online advice).
Search for EAP providers on the UK EAP Association website
Establish peer support groups to enable team members to come together in a safe and confidential environment, to discuss challenges they may be facing, share experiences, and offer support to one another. (This could potentially be provided across a PCN or borough).
Foster a culture of open communication by implementing regular forums for sharing to ensure staff feel comfortable expressing concerns about their wellbeing. Examples include team huddles, suggestion boxes, anonymous polls and wellbeing conversations.
Reduce risk of burnout in your setting. You could:
o Invest in AI technology to automate processes and admin tasks
o Increase staff to alleviate workload
o Improve staff break schedules and encourage staff to take regular breaks
Establish organisational processes that ensure that a stress risk assessment is carried out for each role as required by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, for example, using the Health and Safety Executive’s risk assessment template.
Consider replacing traditional meetings with walking meetings where team members can engage in gentle physical activity while discussing work matters. This promotes both mental and physical wellbeing and also productivity!
Coordinate a desk plant exchange where team members swap small potted plants or succulents to brighten up their workspaces. This activity can add a touch of greenery to the office and promote a sense of care and nurturing.
Set up a ‘Positive Vibes Board’ in a prominent area where team members can share uplifting quotes, funny anecdotes, or positive affirmations. Encourage team members to contribute their favourite jokes, motivational messages, or humorous observations.
Put in place a violence and abuse reduction policy and share this with staff. If you already have one consider reviewing it to strengthen the policy itself and its communication to the public.
Ensure your policy reflects the NHSE Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard.
Enable staff to attend training programs that will support them with recognising, preventing, and addressing harassment, bullying, and abusive behaviours. This should include scenario-based training and workshops to enhance skills in handling such situations.
One example is the NHSE Funded e-learning training for frontline staff: Handling difficult situations with compassion – Training Programme
Reporting incidents at work:
o Strengthen incident reporting mechanisms to ensure they are accessible and confidential.
o Encourage employees to report incidents promptly to foster a culture where concerns are addressed and acted upon.
o After an incident, bring staff together for debriefing to discuss what happened.
o Ensure staff are supported when reporting an incident. Ensuring employees have access to resources to cope with the emotional impact is crucial to long term wellbeing.
Physical health
Conduct physical health risk assessments and check in regularly with staff to identify specific concerns in your team. This will also enable you to tailor support to employees with pre-existing conditions.
Invest in ergonomic office furniture and make adjustments to alleviate discomfort and prevent MSK issues. E.g replace desk chairs, offer standing desks, replace broken or unsuitable furniture
Subsidise physiotherapy for staff suffering with work related MSK issues.
Reduce prolonged sitting by:
Reviewing break schedules- Organise and set break times as a team at the beginning of the day/week. Planning breaks will enable staff to choose which break times best fit with their workload and encourage staff to think of breaks as part of their to-do list.
Offer standing desks to those who prefer this set up
Support staff to stay hydrated by providing quality drinking water – a water filter tap attachment is a space efficient way to do this.
Start friendly competition among team members with a challenge focusing on highest number of steps walked, miles cycled etc
Plan fun outdoor activities with the team such as hiking, picnics, or team sports to encourage physical exercise and bonding in nature.
The RCGP and Park Run are collaborating to promote the health and wellbeing of staff and patients by encouraging GP Practices across the UK to develop close links with their local parkrun to become parkrun practices. This is a wonderful way to increase physical activity, friendships and socialising, mutual support and personal empowerment.
Register as a Park Run Practice: Register
For more information on Park Runs, click here
Organise fitness-themed team building social events, such as obstacle courses, relay races, or activities at centres with physical challenges. Implementing these can foster teamwork, communication, and healthy competition while encouraging movement and laughter within the team
Do you have an activity or wellbeing tip to add to this list? We want to hear from you!
Tell us about the activities that have been successful in your setting and we will add them to this page.
Relationships
Social wellbeing evidence shows that having good-quality relationships can help us to live longer and happier lives with fewer mental health problems. How our teams connect and the relationships they build through working together has a huge impact on their experiences at work. - (NHSE Elements of Health and Wellbeing)
What can you do to support the relationships within your team?
Embed regular team-building activities into team meetings, away days and social events to strengthen camaraderie and positive relationships within the team.
Examples include:
Icebreaker games - Start meetings or events with quick icebreaker activities like Two Truths and a Lie, Bingo, or the Human Knot. These help break the ice and encourage interaction.
Volunteer activities - Organise volunteer opportunities for the team to give back to the community together, like volunteering at a local food bank or participating in a charity run/walk.
Team sports- Arrange friendly sports matches or tournaments such as football, basketball, or volleyball. It encourages teamwork, communication, and healthy competition.
Cooking or baking classes- Attend a cooking or baking class together where team members can work together to create a meal or dessert. It's a fun way to bond while learning new skills.
Board game events - Host a board game social where team members can relax, have fun, and engage in friendly competition. Encourage games that require teamwork or strategy.
Team retreats - If financially viable, plan a retreat where the team can spend a day or weekend away from the office participating in team-building activities, workshops, and outdoor adventures.
Storytelling circle - Create a safe space for team members to share personal stories, experiences, or accomplishments. It helps build empathy, trust, and understanding among team members.
Team building workshops - Bring in a facilitator to conduct team-building workshops focused on improving communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills.
Remember to tailor activities to your team's interests, preferences, and any physical limitations. The goal is to create a positive and inclusive environment where team members feel connected and motivated to work together towards common goals.
Provide spaces for all team members to socialise and interact at work (e.g. staff room, outdoor area) – allowing staff to connect daily and socialise during breaks, strengthening relationships and promoting a sense of community within the team.
Celebrate organisation milestone events with the whole team. This acknowledges collective achievements but also reinforces a sense of pride and belonging among staff.
Provide opportunities for staff to take part in charity fundraising together. This allows staff to contribute to meaningful causes while building bonds as a team. This can also promote teamwork and collaboration outside of regular work tasks, strengthening relationships and the sense of community within the team.
Discuss conflict resolution strategies with your team to enhance the team's ability to manage disagreements positively.
Hold team objective alignment sessions to reinforce and clarify shared team objectives.
Ensure they are consistently communicated and their importance and relevance is emphasised to each team member's role.
Ensure there is universal understanding and commitment among team members.
Establish peer support networks to create a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team, leading to greater job satisfaction, productivity, and success. Discuss how support networks and peer mentoring can be facilitated a practice and PCN level.
Examples of how this could benefit teams include:
Mentoring and coaching - Pairing team members with more experienced peers can provide valuable guidance, advice, and support. Mentors can help mentees navigate challenges, develop new skills, and achieve their goals.
Knowledge sharing- A Peer support network can encourage the exchange of knowledge and expertise among team members. leading to increased productivity, innovation, and problem-solving capabilities within the team.
Emotional Support - In a peer support network, team members can turn to each other for emotional support during times of stress, uncertainty, or personal difficulties.
Conflict Resolution- Peer support networks can facilitate constructive conflict resolution by providing a platform for open communication and mediation between team members.
Host social events where team members can share their hobbies or interests with each other, fostering connections beyond work.
Organise themed events or all practice meetings where team members bring dishes from their culture or childhood favourites, encouraging sharing and conversation.
Coffee buddy system - Pair up team members randomly each week to have a coffee break, giving them the chance to connect on a personal level
Start a book club for team members to join with regular discussions to exchange insights and ideas and build connections. This could be implemented at practice or PCN level.
Create an appreciation wall in your staff area where team members can write notes of appreciation or gratitude to colleagues. A visual display of appreciation reinforces a culture of recognition and boosts morale and job satisfaction.
Do you have an activity or wellbeing tip to add to this list? We want to hear from you!
Tell us about the activities that have been successful in your setting and we will add them to this page.
Fulfilment at work
Fulfilment at work encompasses not only the work we do on a day-to-day basis but a range of themes and activities that together form a critical component of an individual’s health and wellbeing. This includes enabling the diversity of people to bring their whole self to work, enabling life balance, and helping our talented people reach their full potential.- (NHSE Elements of Health and Wellbeing)
What can you do to strengthen your team's sense of fulfilment at work?
Review and enhance protected time provided for learning and development. Ensure staff are practically able to engage in learning and development activities, this will empower staff to invest in their professional growth and skill development, having a positive impact on job satisfaction and productivity.
Ensure team members have appropriate line management and access to clinical and educational supervision where required.
Establish a peer mentoring program where experienced team members volunteer to mentor newer or less experienced colleagues, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth through informal guidance and support.
Establish organisational processes that ensure all general practice staff have an annual appraisal, including a personal development review that includes:
setting of meaningful objectives
provision of clear responsibilities
discussion of training and development needs in relation to individual aspirations and the service/organisation’s need
Link with your local training hub and NCL Training Hub to identify relevant training and development opportunities for all general practice staff to attend.
Sign up to the NCL Training Hub newsletter to receive updates on training: sign up
Consider all flexible working requests as noted in NHS flexible working guidance - specific arrangements should be based on the specific needs of each practice team, which should be explored in team meetings, 1-2-1s and wellbeing conversations.
NHSE Flexible working: toolkit for individuals and line managers
Establish how team members can access a Freedom to Speak Up guardian.
Find out more about this locally in north central London.
Find out more about the national policy and guidance.
Support managers and senior staff to attend training on inclusion and/or inequalities and enable them to implement this.
Training that is available nationally: Core managers: Inclusive leadership in health and care e-learning.
See more training opportunities here NCL Training Hub
Consider establishing a Workforce Equity Champion or EDI lead to support creating a compassionate and inclusive culture. This may potentially be provided across a practice or PCN.
Ensure policies and processes are in place to meet the equality standards outlined in the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard and the Workforce Disability Equality Standard.
Sign up to the Diversity Matters in NHS Primary Care - Campaign Pledge to demonstrate your commitment to your employees, colleagues and patients in creating a supportive and inclusive environment.
Sign up here
Host a team event where team members bring dishes that represent their cultural backgrounds, celebrating diversity through food and encouraging sharing and appreciation of different cultures within the team.
Consider starting an EDI-themed book club where team members read and discuss books or articles related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Along with promoting learning and awareness, this can create important dialogue around important EDI topics within the team.
Do you have an activity or wellbeing tip to add to this list? We want to hear from you!
Tell us about the activities that have been successful in your setting and we will add them to this page.
Environment
A healthy workplace is one where workers and managers collaborate to continually improve the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers and by doing this, sustain the productivity of the business. Given we spend one third of our lives at work, the working environment can have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. Getting the basics right, such as clean restrooms with locks on the toilets, proper space dedicated for lunch/breaks and access to drinking water is vitally important and should not be underestimated. - (NHSE Elements of Health and Wellbeing)
What can you do to improve your team's work environment?
Introduce flexible break policies to accommodate different roles and allow staff to adapt break times to their workflow and schedule.
Implement individualised support for different roles with unique break challenges e.g. clinical roles may find taking time out of the day more challenging due to appointment schedules compared to admin teams.
Ensure senior management model positive behaviours around taking breaks and implement measures to improve communication regarding break policies in the practice.
Raising awareness about the importance of taking breaks for wellbeing could improve overall organisational culture.
Investing in a space for teams to enjoy away from their desk can improve personal wellbeing, boost morale, productivity, and also strengthen working relationships.
Upgrade the facilities in your staff room if you already have one, to ensure the condition of furniture and appliances such as fridges and microwaves are maintained and to a high standard. This could involve renewing furniture, adding lighting, blinds, extra seating or improving temperature control.
Priorities should be guided by staff for maximum impact on wellbeing!
Providing a coffee machine for staff to enjoy whilst at work can contribute to a more positive and productive work environment, can improve focus, enhance employee satisfaction and overtime will save employees from purchasing coffee from cafes.
Already have a coffee machine? Create a DIY coffee station providing a variety of coffee blends, syrups, and toppings, allowing staff to customise their coffee. This provides a fun social way for team members to enjoy a caffeine boost together.
Improve drinking water facilities, for example, the installation of water filters to taps which provide both filtered drinking water and also boiling water for hot drinks. This also saves kitchen space for smaller facilities.
Organising occasional themed makeovers for the staff room, incorporating decorations, artwork, or furnishings related to seasonal holidays, cultural celebrations, or fun themes chosen by the team can transforms the space into an inviting area for relaxation and socialising.
Create a small indoor plant or herb garden in the staff room, enabling staff to nurture and care for plants during breaks. This promotes relaxation, improves air quality, and adds some nature to the environment.
Dedicate a corner of the staff room to board games, puzzles, or card games for staff to enjoy during breaks or downtime. This provides a fun and relaxing way for team members to unwind, de-stress, and bond with each other. Other examples include fidget boxes containing with small stress relief toys.
No staff room? Consider thinking outside the box…
Utilise unused spaces creatively by assessing underused areas within your setting, such as storage spaces and repurpose them as temporary staff break areas.
With some creativity and thoughtful design, these spaces can be transformed into comfortable and inviting retreats for staff during breaks.
Provide a schedule for meeting rooms – enable staff to use a meeting room during peak staff break/lunch times, by introducing clear protocols for usage, ensuring the room is accessible only for breaks during these times and meetings in the remaining slots.
Encourage outdoor breaks where possible, providing benches or picnic tables in any outdoor areas. Encourage short local walks or a moment of relaxation in a nearby green space where possible.
Explore partnerships with nearby cafes, restaurants, or community centres to provide discounted or complimentary access to their facilities during staff breaks. This can allow staff to enjoy a change of scenery and access amenities like food and beverages without the need for a dedicated staff room.
Create a virtual staff room where staff can connect virtually during breaks. This allows team members to socialise, share updates, and support each other remotely, even if they don't have a physical staff room.
Do you have an activity or wellbeing tip to add to this list? We want to hear from you!
Tell us about the activities that have been successful in your setting and we will add them to this page.
Managers & Leaders
Managers and leaders are fundamental to creating positive and healthy working environments for any team. This encompasses the responsibilities of senior leaders, what healthy behaviours look like for the leaders across organisations and the importance of skilled and supported managers in helping to build and sustain cultures of health and wellbeing. - (NHSE Elements of Health and Wellbeing)
What can you do to improve the impact of managers and leaders in your setting?
Ensure managers model positive wellbeing behaviours - Engage managers and leaders at practice/PCN level to discuss how wellbeing-conscious behaviours can be adopted at senior level.
Producing an action plan to change one behaviour moving forward can be impactful and manageable. E.g. regularly leaving work on time, taking regular breaks, participating in wellbeing activities and feeding back to staff.
Start by creating an action plan with your team. Here is an example of an action plan that you could use:
Seek feedback from your entire team to prioritise and guide improvements whilst also maximising staff satisfaction. Would staff members value having a new coffee machine or new seating? Ask staff and listen to their views!
Regularly evaluate new initiatives by establishing a systematic feedback mechanism. Implement short surveys, suggestion box/Mentimeter style check ins to assess ongoing satisfaction with initiatives.
Use this feedback to make informed improvements to better align with staff preference and expectations.
Encourage all staff in a leadership role to access training on compassionate leadership.
Hold regular wellbeing conversations with your team members. These are intended to be regular, supportive, coaching-style one to one conversations that focus on the wellbeing of an individual.
Resources and more information can be found here
Schedule small group meetings between managers and team members specifically dedicated to discussing wellbeing. These meetings can include casual conversations over coffee or tea, allowing staff to share their concerns, challenges, and successes in a supportive and non-judgmental setting.
Ensure health and wellbeing is on the agenda by actively sharing and discussing wellbeing information during team meetings and normalising open conversations about health and wellbeing overall.
Add health and wellbeing to staff appraisals to ensure regular check ins and provide updates around the support offers available to specific roles.
Review current support provided for new starters in the first six months of working in primary care. By reviewing and identifying areas for improvement, you can ensure that new staff members feel adequately supported and equipped to navigate their roles. This can reduce feelings of overwhelm or uncertainty, and ultimately contribute to improved staff retention and job satisfaction.
Add wellbeing information to your induction process. This proactive approach not only equips new staff members with tools to manage and maintain wellbeing but also promotes a culture of openness and support within the workplace.
Implement a buddy system for new starters to support induction processes.
This enhances the induction process and enables a new starter to feel welcomed, valued, and integrated into the team from day one. By having a go-to person for questions, advice, and encouragement, new starters can navigate challenges more confidently and adapt to their roles more effectively.
Share positive feedback with staff to create a positive valued environment. Regular positive feedback from managers creates a sense of recognition and appreciation among team members, boosting morale, motivation, and job satisfaction.
Celebrate team achievements and milestones. This could include buying the team lunch/dinner, creating personalised notes or emails of appreciation and shout-outs or memos in internal bulletins.
Recognising and celebrating successes can demonstrate appreciation and help to foster a positive work culture.
Organise manager-led wellbeing activities. Provide opportunities where staff can participate in activities such as yoga, mindfulness meditation, or stress-relief exercises, led by managers. This can be shaped by the interests of the manager and team involved!
This demonstrates the importance of wellbeing to leaders and provides an opportunity for staff to connect with their managers in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Do you have an activity or wellbeing tip to add to this list? We want to hear from you!
Tell us about the activities that have been successful in your setting and we will add them to this page.