Health and Wellbeing Check-Ins

We open with health and wellbeing check-ins for a reason – they’re a compulsory chat for all manaagers to have with those they manage at least annually, so they’re worth being aware of.

Put simply, check-ins should be relatively informal conversations where a colleague’s health and wellbeing needs are discussed. The ultimate idea of a check-in is for you to be able to get a better picture of a staff member’s challenges – and begin to form a picture of the kind of support that they may benefit from.

Far from being asked to solve the problem, check-ins are designed as a signposting opportunity. Through open discussion with your colleagues in a more relaxed environment, it is hoped you’ll be able to understand what support to keep an eye out for. You might even go out of your way to browse this website or get in touch with the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team to request or enquire about what kind of support may be available for a colleague you manage.

All colleagues are asked if they have had a check-in in the last 12 months, with only 55% of colleagues saying that they had a conversation about their health and wellbeing in the previous year.

And while all managers must conduct a check-in annually, we’re of the belief that a ‘little and often’ approach is more effective, more genuine and more supportive. It’s also advised finding a more relaxed environment, so you’re free to have a chat over a cuppa, a walk or otherwise.

You can always find more guidance about check-ins on our dedicated page, or contact us via [email protected] with any questions.

Looking after your team's health and wellbeing

An interactive guide for looking after your team’s health and wellbeing has been launched to help leaders and teams what being part of a healthy team means to them – and work towards improvements together. Suitable for all functions, any leader, manager or member of a team can make use of this resource.

The guide itself is linked to the national health and wellbeing framework, from which our organisational health and wellbeing strategy is centred on, and can help you in identifying your team’s wellbeing goals, knowing where to turn when you need support, strive for continuous improvement, promote better relationships and much more.

Suitable for all teams and functions, the guide has been well-recieved by other NHS organisations with one commenting: “We now have protected time as a team, a dedicated one hour where we focus together on health and wellbeing.  We try to do different things which focus on both mental and physical aspects of health.”

Early Intervention Referrals

Early intervention referrals are designed as an option for line managers when a colleague presents with (or reports absence due to) stress-related issues including depression, anxiety and the like.

It is hoped that early intervention referrals can help support managers and colleagues alike by supporting those in need of more immediate support with help, signposting and support which can help them in returning to work, limiting or preventing long-term absence.

An early intervention referral should be made on the first day that a colleague notifies a manager of, or reports absence due to, a stress-related matter. To make an early intervention referral, a manager must first obtain consent to share the colleague’s contact details with the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team from the colleague in question.

Once referred, a nurse will contact the referred party within two working days (Monday – Friday). Following this conversation, a nurse will look to assist the colleague through actions such as signposting the colleague relevant self-care materials, encouraging the colleague to see a GP, informing the colleague of our internal counselling capacity and the like.

Early intervention referrals do not produce a report for managers, and you should therefore continue to support your staff member throughout any absence or attendance as normal, seeking self-certification forms, medical certificates and continuing to have supportive conversations.

A new form for early intervention referrals will be launched soon. In the meantime, please read the guidance for making an early intervention referral via the button below.

Management Referrals

Management referrals are designed as an option for line managers to refer colleagues for Occupational Health opinion, and should be mnade as outlined under the Trust policy on absence management (PP11).

No management referrals should be made without first informing the employee, who must understand why they are being referred, be aware of what information you have included in the referral and what questions you are asking. It is a contractual obligation for employees to attend Occupational Health if requested to do so by their manager, and they agree to attend and proceed with any appointments and assessments which are needed.

A Specialist Nurse Practitioner will be allocated as a case manager for those who have been referred, and may assess the employee and advise you accordingly, or refer the employee to others such as the occupational health physician, clinical ergonomics team, counsellors, physiotherapists or otherwise.

Further guidance on making management referrals can be found via the guidance document on the button below, which includes general guidance on writing a management referral, when is timely to make a referral and much more.

To make a referral, please visit the Referrals page of the Occupational Health area in StaffZone and download the relevant form.

Take breaks, get rest, sleep well - play your part!

Over on our sleep page, we raise awareness about the importance of quality rest and sleep in relation to tackling fatigue. Also featured on the page is information about the importance of quality breaks in healthcare.

While many colleagues often skip breaks in the intention of putting the patient first, studies show us that breaks are pivotal in ensuring good decision-making, effective reactions and empathetic, compassionate care.

This of course means that skipping breaks to put the patient first is often counter-intuitive, but with our staff survey data showing many colleagues have felt pressured to attend work despite not feeling well enough to be present, the same kind of pressure,  whether actual or cultural, exists with break-taking.

We’re therefore asking all staff to consider how you can help Gateshead Health shift towards a culture that promotes taking breaks – and as a manager, you’re uniquely placed to help influence this.

For ideas on how you can influence this, scroll to the ‘Importance of rest and breaks in healthcare’ section of our Sleep page – or take a positive step towards promoting breaks by downloading, printing and displaying the poster on the button below in your area.

Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors

We currently have over 120 health and wellbeing ambassadors throughout #TeamGateshead – meaning there’s every chance one already exists in your team.

Our ideal vision is for our ambassadors to act as broadcasters, helping to spread the word about any new information, resources, events, opportunities or otherwise within their teams and at a more local level.

We also want our ambassadors to be able to offer feedback back up the way too – whether that be by sharing the thoughts and feelings of their team, sharing good practice with us and other ambassadors or by acting as a group we can consult or a canvas for us to bounce ideas off.

For many #TeamGateshead colleagues, keeping up with the wealth of health and wellbeing activity through more traditional ways – our staff Facebook group, Twitter account, newsletter, website or otherwise can be difficult due to time constraints. Effective ambassadors provide us with an opportunity to spread the word through people who know what tends to work best for a specific team.

As a manager, you might want to consider who would make a good ambassador in your area – including whether you might be the perfect person.

However, we know that as a result of ongoing pressures, demands and the like, getting time to be an effective ambassador isn’t easy either. So you might also want to consider how you can support an ambassador in your area. A 5-10 minute slot in a team meeting, 30 minutes per week to print newsletters and leave them in break areas or update a noticeboards with the latest – or even dedicated time to plan events to the benefit of your team based on their needs and desires.

Ambassadors can be key for us here at Gateshead, but to work to the benefit of you and your team, they need your support.

Effective Management Conversations

Managers looking to develop their skills and confidence when it comes to holding effective management conversations of any kind can lean on our own L&D team within #TeamGateshead.

The recently-launched effective management conversations is a practical one-day course which explores the various conversations you’re required to have as manager, including giving and receiving feedback, having corageous and coaching-style conversations.

Also available is the half-day developing effective teams course, focusing in on the life-cycle of a team and the importance of teaming; and providing you with time to develop an action plan for your team.

For further information on either course or to enquire about a place, please email [email protected].