Wellbeing Team shortlisted for two national awards for 'amazing' support offered to colleagues
UHDB’s Wellbeing Team is celebrating after being shortlisted for two Nursing Times Workforce Awards for their incredible work supporting colleagues across Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
The team is in the running to be crowned ‘Workforce Team of the Year’, as well as being shortlisted for their work on the ‘Do Whatever Moves You’ project in the ‘Best Use of Workplace Technology Award’.
The ‘Do Whatever Moves You’ project provides physical and mental health support through the utilisation of 'MyZone' Technology, a wearable technology that monitors heart rate during physical exercise and rewards participants with ranking points. This allows colleagues across the Trust to track and share their physical exercise and provides a platform to engage and share this in a bid to increase physical and psychological wellbeing.
James Buckley, Head of Wellbeing and Workforce Health Services at UHDB and Joined Up Care Derbyshire, said the project has been a huge success: “Historically, our wellbeing offer lacked meaningful engagement, largely comprising reactive service-solutions that responded to sickness, conduct, or attendance issues only. We set out to establish a model of person-centred sustainable, accessible, and equitable preventative support
“This programme supports this through the design and implementation of a range of wellbeing activities, physical activity sessions and social clubs alongside the 'MyZone' technology to connect people, allowing them to monitor and be rewarded for their efforts.”
The programme has seen the team implement a raft of activities, including boxing circuit training classes, Zumba, pilates and yoga, as well as a plethora of psychological and mental health support services, including a doodle clubs, crafting workshops and a newly launched men’s mental health support group.
400 colleagues across UHDB signed up for the programme which began in mid-2021 and since then, have accumulated more than 90,000 physical activity sessions, burning more than 20 million calories in the process.
James added: “To see the results in raw data like this is staggering. We’ve seen significant improvements in overall health of those taking part, including increases in muscle mass and reductions in body fat, with a whole host of psychological benefits that come with exercise as well as improved dietary and exercise patterns. It really is incredible to see the impact this project has had, and continues to have, on the health of the organisation.”
For the ‘Workforce Team of the Year’ Award, the team has been recognised for the creation of an award-winning service supporting all aspects of wellbeing which now encompasses the entirety of Derbyshire and colleagues working at our Staffordshire sites.
Steph Thompson, Health Improvement Advisor Team Leader, said: “We saw early on the impact the pandemic had on colleagues and knew we needed to expand and enhance our services to be more proactive. We introduced more lifestyle and psychological support with input from experienced professionals in the sector and our service offering hasn’t stopped growing since then!”
Colleagues can now access a range of multi-faceted support networks ranging from menopause support to financial wellbeing guidance, with the Wellbeing Team constantly evolving and introducing new, innovative schemes to support colleagues across the Trust.
Steph continued: “It’s been amazing to see the evolution and growth of the team over recent years, both in terms of size and what we’re able to offer to the organisation, and I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve until now.”
The team were also recognised at last year’s Nursing Times Workforce Awards, scooping the prize for ‘Best Wellbeing and Staff Experience Engagement Initiative’, as well as being shortlisted at UHDB’s 2022 Annual Making a Difference Awards for Chair’s Team of the Year.
Steph added: “It’s absolutely amazing to see the work we’re doing get this recognition and it really gives the team a boost to carry on doing as much as they can to support our colleagues.”
The team will find out if they have won in both award categories at The Nursing Times Workforce Summits and Awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday 22 November at the Hilton London Metropole.