Support Your NHS Heroes

When the coronavirus pandemic started we launched an appeal to ask for donations to support our frontline staff – your local NHS Heroes.

Our community were amazing and provided support through donations and gifts in kind to acknowledge the fact that our wonderful NHS staff went above and beyond to take care of you and your loved ones during this global emergency.

As a result we set up a staff health and wellbeing fund to provide not only support to our staff during the crisis; but also beyond providing a long lasting legacy for our staff to be thanked and supported in the future.

Alongside this the charity received grants through NHS Charities Together to support our staff and patients.

We received such amazing generosity from so many businesses, organisations, community groups and individuals. Support came in the form of both donations and fundraisers, often inspired by Captain Sir Tom, to do something positive during lockdown. From Thursday night clapping, to garden marathons, head shaves, rainbow weeks and dinosaur walks, it has been humbling to know how our staff and hospitals are loved, and we thank everyone who has supported us.

Since March 2020 we have raised over £845,000 for our staff health and wellbeing fund, including money from Talbot Village Trust and NHS Charities Together grants.

These funds have allowed us to ensure the health and wellbeing needs of all staff at UHD were met during and after the pandemic. To date this money has helped fund the creation of safe spaces and rest areas, the provision of non-perishable food and hydration for teams working in coronavirus positive areas, care packs and wellbeing bags, as well as emotional and psychological support.

• Safe spaces
  We have secured new safe spaces for staff at both Royal Bournemouth and Poole Hospitals. Safe spaces are quiet areas where individuals or teams can decompress or debrief after a difficult, traumatic or challenging time at work.

• Enhanced wellbeing support
  We are delighted to be able to maintain this support and ensure it is more sustainable. A lead psychologist, qualified counsellor, wellbeing practitioner and physiotherapist are being appointed to maintain individual and team wellbeing support for the next 12 months.
• Team recognition fund
  We continue to work closely with our Organisational Development team to ensure we continue to provide support where it is most needed; looking after our UHD staff, as they look after our community. We helped create a local recognition fund of £10 per member of staff across all teams. Managers coordinated with their teams to agree how to spend their ‘local pot’ to ensure it benefits the wellbeing of the whole team. Purchased included white goods for areas such as kettles or microwaves, radios, music subscription services, potted plants and much more.
  
  
• Additional wellbeing support
  This included resilience workshops, further staff supports and an increase in physical activity provision. Targeted health checks and reverse mentoring is also available for those who are potentially more liable to health challenges, including colleagues from a BAME background or those with disabilities and/or underlying health conditions.