At Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust we are working together to help people to help you enjoy a healthy, happier and longer life. We recognise that balancing everyday life together with the requirements of work and home can create pressures for all of us.
We do this in a number of ways including a Trust wide network of Health and Wellbeing Champions who at a team level promote healthy lifestyle messages and organise activities. A range of benefits, training and services are available to help supports physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
Here are some of the things we encourage:
- Health Promotion – many of our teams have a Health and Wellbeing Champion who support and signpost, along with initiating activities at a team level. Champions receive a monthly newsletter full of health promotion information and resources to share with colleagues and display on Team Boards.
- Supporting Stress and Mental Wellbeing – we take a psychological first aid approach and offer reflective opportunities such as Schwartz Rounds. Workplace Trauma Support Training is available along with Resilience Workshops.
- Healthy Lifestyle – making positive lifestyle choices can have a big impact on health. We encourage people to ‘Sit less’ and to take Workspace Walks, we advocate a healthy balanced diet, smoke free and safe drinking guidelines. We initiate a range of activities and encourage lunch breaks and hydration.
- Recognise success –from saying ‘Well done’ to a colleague, to our Staff Awards we appreciate and value good work at all levels. We also have a weekly ‘We are Proud’ communication that shines the light on individuals and teams.
Health and wellbeing
Employee Assistance Programme
The Employee Assistance Programme is delivered by Health Assured, who provide support and wellbeing to all employees through a free confidential telephone and online assistance service offering expert advice on a wide range of life issues and specialist counselling and support to help you prepare for and cope with any events through life.
PhysioMed
Physiotherapy is provided through a blended package via Well Being Partners and undertaken by PhysioMed. If you have a joint, muscle or spinal problem which is preventing you from performing your normal day to day duties help is available.
Occupational Health
Occupational Health Services are delivered by Well Being Partners (WBP) who are part of the NHS and are a joint venture between Bolton, Wigan and Preston NHS organisations. Managers can refer employees for Occupational Health Support and Guidance, Counselling Services and Physiotherapy (supplied by PhysioMed).
Access Occupational Health here.
Mental Health Helpline
Our Wellbeing and Mental Health Helpline and Texting Service is a Freephone out of hours, person-centred listening environment for people requiring emotional support in relation to their own mental health or that of someone they know. Fully trained volunteers operate the helpline, they offer their time to listen and support callers.
The Helpline is open 365 days a year, Monday to Friday 7pm until 11pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm until Midnight.
Call: 0800 915 4640
The Wellbeing Texting Service
Text HELLO to 07860 022 846
Resilience Hub
The hub is a support system for all healthcare workers, blue light workers, council staff, volunteers, care home staff and all public sector workers – from someone in need of extra help and guidance on their wellness, to someone who needs urgent psychological help to those who aren’t sure what they might need. It also offers support for those who are managing and leading during the pandemic as well as the family and friends of those who are struggling.
You can contact the Lancashire and South Cumbria Resilience Hub on 01772 520 228 or email lschub@lscft.nhs.uk.
Self-care and development
Self Compassion Programme
Take part in the Public Sector Self-Compassion at Work Programme and use the discount code: LANCSCARE at the checkout to receive immediate and automatic access to the programme.
Schwartz Rounds
We offer ‘Schwartz rounds’ which is an approach whose purpose is not to solve problems, but to explore the human and emotional aspects of the experience of delivering care and the challenges that people face from day to day.
A large group of people come together around a facilitated topic. Contact: kay.fontana@lscft.nhs.uk for more information.
Workplace Trauma Support Programme
The Workplace Trauma Support (WTS) is an evidence-based peer support programme to help coordinate trauma-informed responses to workplace incidents. As takes a proactive approach, emphasis is placed on pre-awareness training as people learn how to look after themselves and their colleagues.
It also provides training for managers to be more trauma aware and aid them in identifying and supporting the needs of their team. Additionally, embedded practitioners improve access to informal and informative peer support. The WTS practitioners are able to signpost and support access to specialist psychological support to aid recovery.
For more information contact LTSS@lscft.nhs.uk.
Resilience Workshops
Based on contemporary research, these workshops provide staff with the opportunity to identify enablers and barriers to wellbeing and engagement in the workplace, and the knowledge to influence these key factors to build a pressure-positive team.
Available for all staff and a separate course for Managers. Contact: Quality.Academy@lscft.nhs.uk for details.
Coaching
Our vision for the Trust is to have coaching and mentoring accessible to all staff to support their development and progression.
We have accredited coaches who work across our local NHS and partner organisations. For more information email coaching2@lscft.nhs.uk
Leadership
We offer a range of leadership development opportunities from the highly-rated NHS Mary Seacole programme for new and aspiring leaders, to our Clinical Leadership Development Programme which has been co-created by the staff themselves, staff-side, the OD Team and senior clinical leaders.
There is also the apprenticeship route for ILM Levels 3, 5 and 7 (Masters).
In addition, we provide access to 360 appraisals. For further information please contact Lynn Brown on 01772 401 792 or via email Lynn.Brown@lscft.nhs.uk.
Discounts and benefits
Vivup
Bike Shop
The Bike Shop now offers staff greater flexibility and a broader range of bikes and accessories, outside the Cycle to Work scheme. The Bike Shop permits employees to not only order bikes over £1000 and to select components and accessories but also allows them to order bikes for the whole family.
Home Electronics
Laptops, phones, white goods and more are available for staff to purchase in very difficult times. Goods can be paid for over a chosen period usually 12 or 24 months.
Employees now have access to Neyber Financial Wellbeing via the Vivup platform and will now be able to seamlessly move from the Vivup platform to the Neyber platform. No need to register separately.
Cycle to Work Scheme
If you travel for at least part of your journey to work by bike, take a look at the Cycle to Work Scheme on offer through Vivup. The scheme enables you to buy a bicycle with the cost deducted from your salary on a monthly basis, which makes it very tax efficient!
Simply Health Scheme
Affordable Health Plans to help you and your family budget for the cost of everyday healthcare bills. For example, a Health Cash Plan can give you cash back towards treatments and services from a wide range of healthcare specialists such as; opticians, dentists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and more. You can visit a healthcare specialist of your choice when you need to without worrying about the cost – there’s no need to wait for a GP referral.
Visit Simply Health for more information. If you choose to set up an account there is a discount for LSCFT staff.
Medicash
With the Medicash Active plan you can claim 100% of your bill on all receipted benefits, up to your maximum yearly benefit allowance. Children are covered for free, up to their 19th birthday, if in full-time education and partners can be added to your plan at discounted rates.
Their complementary and alternative therapy cover offers cashback on treatments ranging from physiotherapy to homeopathy – with no GP referral necessary.
Contact Susan.Mortimer@lscft.nhs.uk for details and an application form or call Medicash on 0151 702 0265.
Public Sector Discounts
Public Sector Discounts is a specialist Discounts portal for NHS and other healthcare staff who partner with thousands of online shops, service providers, local businesses and high street retailers in the UK to offer different types of NHS staff discounts, special offers and cashback deals. This includes online cashback, High Street cashback, local discounts from national chains of pubs, restaurants, health clubs, beauticians and lots more. It’s free to join but there is a cost to obtain your Black Card.
Health Service Discount
The Health Service Discounts website has a huge range of NHS discounts and health care staff benefits. It’s free to join and approximately 1.8million members are benefitting from a huge range of NHS discounts and healthcare staff benefits. The offers range from money saving deals and vouchers, including travel and holiday deals, top hotel discounts, relaxing airport lounge and airport parking discounts, mount-watering restaurant deals, money off fashion fixes, through to deals on mobile phones, utilities and gym membership.
Blue Light Card
The Blue Light Card provides a discount service for the UK’s NHS, Emergency Services, and Armed Forces. It provides discounts online and on the high street through a physical Blue Light Card which is the home of many official discounts from large national retailers and has a wide range of offers from categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones and many other items.
Red Guava
Red Guava offers a good selection of frequently updated special offers available to NHS staff. Including holidays, hotels, shopping and more.
User name: LANCCARE
Password: BENEFITS
5 Ways to Wellbeing
Evidence suggests there are 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.
- Connect with the people around you, colleagues, family, friends, clients and neighbours. Spend time developing relationships and take a genuine interest in those around you.
- Be active: you don't have to go to the gym. Step outside. Take a walk or run go cycling or find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Find something that suits your level of fitness and mobility.
- Keep learning: try something new, learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. Sign up for a course or try taking on a different responsibility at work. Set yourself a new challenge and enjoy a sense of achievement.
- Give: do somedhing nice for someone, even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Try volunteering or join a community group, this can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks. Giving can be incredibly rewarding.
- Take notice: be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings. Notice the world around you. Savour the moment whether it’s a walk or time with friends or family. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges. Reflect on your experiences.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
The legal case for equality is set out in the Equality Act 2010 and the practice is embodied by our staff every day, without exception.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shone a light on the uneven impact of discrimination and health inequalities on the NHS workforce and our service users. In response to this, the NHS People Plan provides welcome challenge to the Trust to ensure engagement and opportunity sit at the heart of our equality, diversity, and inclusion offer.
The Trust aims to achieve this by putting equality, diversity, and human rights at the centre of designing and delivering inclusive services for the diverse communities we seek to serve, and creating a workplace culture that emphasises the individual and collective role we must play to care for our communities – of staff and service users – in order to eliminate inequality.
Staff Networks and ED&I Champions
The Trust has four staff networks for Black, Asian and minority ethnic; Disabled; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans, as well as Women. These are an opportunity for staff with similar characteristics that are under-represented to come together, to share experiences, and to facilitate learning and development across the Trust.
The Trust also runs an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Champions’ Network. This is open to all staff who are allies of the equality and want to amplify and support the ED&I agenda in each workplace and network, as well as signposting staff and service users to support networks as a way to ensure we live up to our Trust values.
Staff are encouraged to join networks to make improvements and increase learning. We are stronger together.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team
The Trust’s ED&I team provide the full spectrum of support and guidance to enable every individual, team, and network, to meet the Trust’s inclusion agenda. It is a small and friendly team with a Trust-wide remit. Please get in touch to find out more about our work or with any questions.
Candace Bedu-Mensah, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Lead - email: Candace.bedu.mensah@lscft.nhs.uk.
Joanna Harrison, Equality and Diversity Facilitator, email: Joanna.harrison@lscft.nhs.uk.