steps to health and wellbeing - sussex community nhs trust · as your employer we aim to . exceed...

to health and wellbeing

Steps

Our values: compassionate care | working together | achieving ambitions | delivering excellence

Handbook for staff

Welcome to our handbook

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Our success and the achievement of our vision of excellent care at the heart of the community are dependent on you, our staff.

What you do and how you do it, no matter what your role is, has a direct impact on the quality of care and service we offer. It will determine whether or not we achieve our goals and will shape our reputation.

There is clear evidence that happier, healthier NHS staff offer better care and contribute more to the progress of their organisation. So the more we can do to support you to be happy and healthy, the more we will do to provide excellent care in line with our vision.

As your employer we aim to exceed our responsibilities for your health and wellbeing and support you to develop in your role and enjoy your work.

This handbook highlights the ways we want to do this, highlighting what you can do and where you can get the support you might need. It inevitably provides an overview, and you’ll find more information on our staff intranet the Pulse and other websites.

I hope you will find our handbook helpful, and see it as part of our ongoing commitment to your health and wellbeing. I’d be pleased to hear what you think.

Caroline BeardallDirector of human resources, organisational development and communications.

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Compassionate CareCaring for people in ways we would want for our loved ones

Working TogetherAs a team forging strong links with our partners and the wider public

Charles Porteous Staff nurse, IV therapy service

Susan Lees Staff nurse, urgent treatment centre

Natalie Robinson Physiotherapist, Crawley Hospital

Rosemary Farmer Housekeeping assistant, BGH

Helping people to feel calm and understood... Showing kindness, listening… really listening, and acting on what patients say really matters.

I always think – is this how I would want my parents to be cared for?

Working together helps us to plan and manage patient care to a high standard.

We all get on very well as a team and this helps to share the workload and get the job done.

Living our values

Excellent care at the heart of the communityExcellent care at the heart of the community

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Ahealthier bodyWe all want to feel physically fit, even if there are limits to what this might mean for us, perhaps because of age or a disability.

We tend to think about fitness in terms of a sport or hobby – but it is also linked to our ability to do our job.

Things like good diet, proper rest, exercise and hygiene all play a part in helping us stay fit. We’re increasingly seeing the link between physical fitness and our mental wellbeing.

We know as well how work can impact upon our physical fitness, for example lifting a heavy weight or using a computer.

If we don’t get it right, we risk musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain, joint injuries, muscle aches and pain in the fingers, wrists, forearms, neck and shoulders.

A healthier body… Look after your physical health. p5

A healthier mind…Look after your psychological health. p8

Managing your stressRecognise stress and know how to reduce it. p10

Top tips to better health and wellbeing p14

Balancing actGet the work-life balance right. p18

Be safeHealth & safety and lone working. p21

Speak outRaising your concerns. p24

Feel the benefitStaff benefits. p26

About the SCT healthier workforce group p29

Wellbeing and diversity p30

Contents

5Excellent care at the heart of the communityExcellent care at the heart of the community

Keep fit – recognising your personal limits

• Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week.

• Break this down into chunks of 10 or 15 minutes if this is easier.

• Use the stairs instead of the lift, if you can.

• Walk to work if you can, or get off the bus a few stops earlier.

What to avoid

• Long periods in a fixed or awkward position.

• Repetitive movements.

• Suppressed feelings of pressure or frustration.

Doing it right

• Use equipment provided, for example a hoist – as long as you’ve been trained to do so.

• Maintain a good posture don’t slump or slouch.

• Warm up before any manual tasks.

• Rotate and vary tasks.

• Take micro-breaks; a few minutes every hour.

• Get out of the office for some fresh air every day.

• Have a proper lunch break away from your work station.

• Report any health problems to your manager as soon as possible.

How to help yourselfPaul’s storyPaul Gillett a seniormanagement accountant in our finance team at Brighton General Hospital took decisive steps to improve his health following his NHS Health Check.

“They told me I weighed 14st 10lbs (96kg) – and listed some of the health risks of being about three stone overweight,” he recalls.

“I’d heard this before, but this time, though, when they outlined the risks and advised me that the best way to lose weight is to make long-term changes to diet and physical activity that result in steady rate of weight loss, I thought I’d go for it.”

An NHS Health Check can update you on your general health and your health risks. It’s a great way for people aged between 40 and 74 to keep an eye on their health – and to use what they might learn to make an adjustment or two.

“My main change was to make sure I had a walk at lunchtime,” Paul continues. “It helps that the area around BGH is so hilly.

“I also made a conscious decision to cut down significantly on the chocolate, cakes, ice cream and so on. Best achieved by not buying them in the first place, of course!

“My target was to reduce by half stone steps, and get down to near 13 stone. But I managed to reduce to just over 12 stone (78 kg) in 18 months and have stayed around that weight since.

“I feel really good to have achieved a goal, and to have got rid of the extra weight. I know that if I don’t keep up the discipline the pounds will creep back, but so far I’m winning.”

A healthier bodyA healthier body

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And three last thoughts:

• Look for details of our NHS Health Checks or MOTs on the Pulse.

• Try sometimes to phone to speak with a colleague rather than email.

• And if it’s practical – and doesn’t mean a long journey – why not wander over and talk face-to-face?


We all want to feel good and get the most from our lives. There’s good evidence that mental wellbeing is important for our physical health, and can help us achieve our goals.

Some mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, are common. If you think you have these, get advice from your GP. Symptoms include continuous low mood or sadness, feeling hopeless and helpless, feeling tearful or guilt-ridden, being irritable and intolerant and not getting pleasure out of life.

Anxiety can include difficulty in concentrating, a sense of dread and/or irritability and physical symptoms such as insomnia, nausea and dizziness.

But there’s more to good mental health than avoiding or treating mental health problems. There is also positive mental wellbeing.

A healthier mind

Five steps to mental wellbeing

Evidence suggests that five simple steps can improve our mental wellbeing. See more about them on the NHS Choices website (see p17) under stress & anxiety.

Connect With the people around you. Family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your community. These can be the cornerstones of life, so invest time to strengthen them.

Be active Go for a walk. Step outside. Cycle, run, play a game with the kids, do the garden, or dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Do something you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Take notice Be curious about life, what’s around you and what you are thinking. Notice the unusual. Enjoy the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters.

Keep learning Rediscover an old interest. Try something new. Sign up for that course. Take on a new responsibility at work. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. It will make you more confident as well as being fun.

Give Do something for a friend or stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer. Join a community group. Seeing yourself and your happiness linked to the wider community can be rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

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We can feel stressed when the demands we face feel out of balance with our resources to deal with them. Many things can cause stress – work, relationships and money problems.

People react in different ways, so what can stress one person might not stress someone else.

Stress can affect how we feel, think and behave. Common signs of stress include sleep problems, loss of appetite and poor concentration.

The first step is to recognise that you feel stressed and try to identify the cause. It’s vital to know that there will be a solution, no matter how difficult the demands you face seem to be. Doing nothing will only make you feel worse.

Take controlLearn to identify your optimal level of stress and don’t be pressurised to go beyond it.

Define your problem specifically, and think of solutions.

Choose the best solution, and tackle the problem one step at a time.

Work smarter, not harderPrioritise your work, and concentrate on tasks that make a difference.

Plan your day carefully.

Be honest with yourself about what you can achieve.

Learn to say no and to delegate.

Get support.

Recognise and accept your feelingsTalk about how you feel.

Recognise how past experiences affect the way you feel now.

Look for the positives, and things you are grateful for.

Write down three things every day which went well.

Accept what you cannot change, and focus on what you can.

Relax and have funDon’t focus just on what you think you have to do.

Don’t ignore or neglect what you want to do.

Do things you enjoy: socialising, relaxing or exercising.

Have fun.

If you feel that stress is having a negative impact on your life and would like support:

• Talk with your manager.• Visit the occupational health

pages on the Pulse.• See the options available,

including counselling through our employee assistance service and our psychology service (see over).

Managing your stress

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Ruby’s storyAs a psychological therapist with our Time to Talk service, Ruby Walker helps clients respond to the stresses they face – but in the past allowed her commitment to care for others to get in the way of caring for herself.

“I didn’t do vulnerability,” she says. “I just got on with things. I’ve worked in the NHS since I was 18 as a nurse, a health visitor, a counsellor in primary care. Getting on is what we do, isn’t it?”

The problem was that Ruby didn’t prioritise her own needs following the loss of two family members in quick succession in 2009.

“I went on autopilot, but I knew I didn’t feel quite right. So I thought ‘I need a change!’ and left the job I loved to return to health visiting. I didn’t recognise it as a kneejerk reaction to my loss.

“Within a day of joining the HV team, I knew I’d made a mistake. And then, well things just fell apart. I felt lost in the fog.”

The good news is that her manager saw that Ruby needed support and referred her to our occupational health service.

“The first thing they did was get me to accept that I needed time to recover. They showed they cared, and encouraged

me to recognise that caring for myself didn’t compromise my commitment to my clients.

“They helped me deal with the anxiety that told me I’d lost everything, and that I didn’t have to be totally self-reliant.

“With their support – plus the support of Time to Talk – I was able to return to my role in our talking therapies service.

“I’d like to add that since a further family loss I am more mindful of the necessity to take care, and have appreciated the support my colleagues have again given to me.

“So I say to any colleague feeling under stress – don’t bottle it up. You don’t have to cope alone. It’s OK to be human and no-one is immune to grief or pain.

“Seek support – from your manager, our employee assistance service or occupational health. It’s not a weakness – it’s a strength. And it’s the first step to getting better.”

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Our employee assistance service

Get independent, free and confidential advice and support from our employee assistance service, CiC. Whether you’re after practical advice or emotional support with either work or personal issues, CiC can offer expert guidance.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be used by all staff. You can use the service as well for advice on:

• Debt and financial management.• Legal and tax issues.• Family care.• Everyday matters. • Relationship counselling.

Contact the service directly:

• Freephone: 0800 085 1376.• Email: [email protected]

The service also offers support for managers on how to deal with stress, anxiety and other mental health issues amongst staff they lead.

Freephone: 0800 085 1376


Cut down on alcohol

Top tips

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Exercise more

Do at least 30 minutes of exercise which increases your heart rate every day.

Walk if you can.

Get off the bus a couple of stops early. Take the stairs, not the lift, if you can.

Take a walk after your meals, even if only for 10 minutes.

Start a walking group with your friends or colleagues.

Be mobile at work. Don’t sit for longer than an hour.

Sign up to an NHS Change4Life programme (see p17).

Do an activity you like!

Quit smoking

Get free support from your local stop smoking service. See our website (see p17) for details.

Choose a day and stick to it!

Throw away your cigarettes, lighters and other smoking paraphernalia.

Treat yourself. Spend the money you save on treats, a trip to cinema, or a holiday.

Remember each craving only lasts three minutes, so do something else in that time.

Keep busy, change your routine, start a new hobby.

Understand the changes your body will go through!

Know how much you drink. Check NHS Choices (see p17) for details of what’s a unit of alcohol.

If you regularly drink more than you should (14 units a week for women, 21 units a week for men) consider cutting down.

Have alcohol free days. Keep a drinks diary. Note how much you spend on alcohol.

Change your routine, and avoid triggers that make you drink.

Tell your friends and family you are cutting down if you think they will support you.

Replace some of your alcohol with a soft drink.

Have a jug of water on the table as well as alcohol.

Use smaller glasses.

Sip your drinks slowly.

Try lower strength alcohol drinks or smaller volume e.g. a bottle rather than a pint.

If you are worried about your drinking get help from your GP or organisations such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

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Healthy lifestyleNHS Choices www.nhs.uk

Change 4 Life www.nhs.uk/Change4Life www.nhs.uk/Livewell

Smoking advice www.nhs.uk/smokefree - offers free mobile app, email support, text support, quit kits

www.facebook.com/nhssmokefree

www.quit.org.uk/

www.nhs.uk/livewell/smoking

SCT services www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/services

Alcohol & drug advice www.addaction.org.uk

www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

www.drinkaware.co.uk

Cancer screeningwww.cancerscreenning.nhs.net

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Eat well

Eat a healthy diet. Think about bringing in fresh fruit to share with your team.

Keep a food diary.

Know that diets focusing on excluding certain food groups can have a negative impact.

Keep hydrated, sip water all day. Swap your unhealthy snacks for healthier ones. See Change for Life on p17.

Eat the recommended number of portions of fruit & veg each day.

Read labels; be aware of hidden sugar and salt. Know that low fat products are often full of sugar and salt to add flavour.

Avoid processed food and ready meals.

Be screened

Go for cancer screening programmes when invited:

• Cervical screening: women aged 25-49 every three years, aged 50-64 every five years.

• Breast screening: women aged 50 and over every three years by mammography.

• Bowel screening: men and women aged 60-75 every two years by completing the self-test kit.

If you are worried about symptoms, have them checked by your GP – don’t just wait to be screened. For advice contact our health promotion cancer team at Morley Street in Brighton via [email protected]

For more information

Top tips

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Balancing act

Most people enjoy their job and find it fulfilling. It’s why many of us work for the NHS. But there is a need for give and take.

Work-life balance is different for everyone. So set your own personal boundaries. Talk with your manager if you find it a struggle to get the balance right.

PrioritiseAsk ‘what do I want to do more of?’

Question ‘what would happen if I didn’t do this or that today, this week, next month, ever?’

Be realistic about what can be done and prioritise ruthlessly.

Many of us struggle to balance working time with time outside work. The idea of a work–life balance is about managing the competing demands of our life including our family, friends, work, leisure and health.

OrganiseSchedule the activities you have prioritised, including personal and fun activities. Allow some flexibility for operational pressures, and the unexpected.

ReduceAsk ‘what do I want to do less of? What doesn’t really add to my effectiveness or enjoyment?’

Say no, delegate, get help, change your approach. Stop doing things that don’t seem to add value.

Stick to the standard and frequency required.Remember that perfection isn’t always obligatory!

RelaxAllocate time for yourself, friends and family.

Relax properly. See the NHS Choices website for tips on how to relax, including relaxed breathing and muscle relaxation.Use routines to help you wind down for sleep and begin the following day fresh.

See more tips to help improve work-life balance at: www.time-management-success.com/work-life-balance-tips.html

What managers and staff can do• Understand our individual,

team and corporate goals.• Keep up-to-date with changes

in the team or across the trust.• Have as much control as

possible over how we do our jobs.

• Ensure we have the right skills.• Monitor workloads to ensure

they are realistic.• Communicate openly

and honestly.• Be aware of the trust’s

flexible working options.• Think about what we can

do together to make our colleagues’ lives easier.

Go to the Pulse and review the section on the Productive Series to help make improvements within your team.

See the NHS Employers website for more information on how to manage the work-life balance.


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Support for the carersDon’t neglect your own health and wellbeing because you are caring for a relative, partner or friend. Our carers health team can help, providing personalised advice and information such as:

• Safe moving and handling techniques.

• Managing medication.• Advice on services to help

you care for your loved ones.• Planning for the future.

The team is based in West Sussex. See their contact details under Carers Health Team in the services section of our website.

Prevention and assessmentOur West Sussex based prevention assessment teams include staff from the county council, SCT and the voluntary sector who can advise over the telephone or visit you in your own home.

The service is for adults and older people who might not be eligible for other statutory services and who have unmet physical, psychological, social, functional and/or environmental needs.

They aim to promote better health and wellbeing. They can:

• Check your general state of health and wellbeing.

• Help you identify what may help you to retain your independence.

• Enable you to make change.• Advise you of resources you

might find useful.• Help you access practical and

emotional support.

See their contact details under prevention assessment teams in the services section of our website.

Everyone should feel safe and be treated with respect and consideration. All staff should use policies and procedures designed to support and protect them. See the Pulse for details.

Health & safetyThere are many rules and regulations that govern safety issues. For example, employers must:

• Provide a safe place of work, safe systems and adequate equipment.

• Recruit competent and safety conscious staff.

But safety goes beyond rules and regulations, and touches upon how we relate to each other and the culture that

surrounds us – and that we help to shape through our behaviours.

So, please do your statutory training once a year to ensure you remain up-to-date on safety at work. And know your local fire evacuation procedures.

Bullying & harassmentNo one should face bullying & harassment in the workplace.

Harassment can be defined as unwanted conduct affecting your dignity at work. It may be related to some personal characteristics. It might be persistent or one-off. The key is that you view certain actions or comments as unacceptable.

Be safe


Balancing act

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Bullying & harassment

Bullying can be defined as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or an abuse or misuse of power intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.

Bullying or harassment may involve behaviour by an individual against an individual or a group. It may be obvious or insidious. Whatever form, it is unwelcome to the individual.

If you think you are being bullied or harassed by anyone – a patient, their family, a colleague or a manager you should:

• Recognise you don’t have to accept it.

• Keep a note of what happens.• Challenge inappropriate

behaviour if you feel able to.• Seek advice and help from

a colleague, manager, trade union, the HR team or through our employee assistance service (see p12).

• Use this support to plan how to deal with the situation.

Violence and aggressionWe do not tolerate violence and aggression against staff by anyone, and will always act to prevent it.

We ask you to:

• Assess the risk and prioritise your own safety.

• Know how to use de-escalation and break away techniques. Ask your manager for advice.

• Report all incidents rapidly – including to the police where appropriate.

• Raise any ongoing risk that needs action.

Be safe

DiscriminationThe behaviours set out on p22 may be linked to discrimination. This could include discriminatory remarks or actions that result in less favourable treatment of an individual due to their membership, or perceived membership, of a particular group.

Whether this is linked to a characteristic protected under the law such as race, sexual orientation or religion or to other factors, such as accent, appearance or social class, we want to stop such behaviour to ensure all staff are treated with fairness and respect. If you believe there is an element of discrimination in how you are treated please report this.

Lone workingMany of you will be alone at various points during your working week. The Pulse offers detailed advice for how to keep safe. As a minimum please:

• Know what our lone worker policy says.

• Know about the local arrangements in your team.

• Ensure your team knows your whereabouts and contact details.

• Update your team immediately if these change, for example a new phone number.

• Be prepared for emergencies when driving.

• Be on top-alert in unfamiliar situations.

• Listen to your gut feeling – and trust what it tells you.

• Never underestimate a threat. • Take immediate action if you

feel unsafe.

Our security specialist and health and safety team can give you support and information on lone worker risk assessments. See the Pulse for details.


Speak out

At the heart of the learning from events at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust is that openness and transparency are vital.

All of us across the trust need to create and protect a transparent and open culture that:

• Puts patient safety and wellbeing first.

• Prioritises the health and wellbeing of staff.

• Gives us confidence to express concerns if we believe this isn’t happening.

We all come to work to do our best. We all know what good looks like, and we all want to play our part in getting things right – which includes raising concerns if we believe that the health and wellbeing of patients and staff is being compromised.

What we should all doKnow and understand the values that underpin all we do. Think of the SCT values and the values of the NHS Constitution or your professional body.

See the Pulse for more details of our SCT values:

• compassionate care• working together• achieving ambitions• delivering excellence.

See the Pulse as well for details of the behaviours that express our values. We ask you to:

• Express our values in your behaviour toward people we serve and work with.

• Be clear what good looks like.• Ensure that the care we

deliver is the care we would want for a loved one.

• Raise a concern if you think this standard is compromised.

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Raise your concerns with…

• Colleagues in your team.• Your manager.• Their manager, if you don’t

have confidence in their response.

• Your trade union lead or professional representative.

• Our medical director and/or our chief nurse.

Ultimately use our whistleblowing policy, though please see this as a last resort rather than the first step.

See all details on the Pulse.

Remember that one of our non-executive directors oversees our whistleblowing policy. Contact them if you don’t think things are right and you’ve exhausted the other channels – see the Being Open section of the trust’s website for details.

Remember too that we’ve made a public declaration of our commitment to openness and transparency by signing up to the Nursing Times Speak Out Safely campaign. See our public website for details.

You can be confident that:

• The trust will take your concerns seriously.

• As long as you have raised concerns in good faith, you will not face recriminations.

• You can get support from your trade union, professional body and the SCT staff support processes.

• You will receive feedback about how your concerns have been addressed.


Terms and conditions• Access to final salary pension.• Generous annual leave.• Family friendly policies.• Policies to support good

working practices, leadership and support.

Speak with your manager or go to the Pulse for details.

Career developmentGo to the Pulse for details of how to access learning, training and support opportunities to develop your clinical, leadership and managerial skills.

Child and family careSave money on childcare costs through childcare vouchers.Excellent nursery care through our three on-site nurseries.

Get advice from our child and family care coordinator.

Staff with children might be able to use childcare and family services run by their local council. This can include children and family centres, holiday play schemes and child care options, including mobile units that serve outlying and rural areas.

Children and family centres provide free or low cost activities with young children, a chance to meet other families, and access information, advice and support on childcare, local services and benefits.

Check the details on the websites of: West Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, or wherever you live.

Feel the benefit

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DiscountsCheck websites that offer discounts to NHS workers such as www.healthservicediscounts.com

Many local health and leisure facilities offer discounts to NHS staff as well, see the Pulse. Ask their customer services.

Get financial support from a local credit union for both savings and loans, with payroll deductions available.

Check details of the tax-free bike loan scheme.

Remember our health & wellbeing supportFree access to advice and counselling support via our employee assistance service, CiC.

Advice and support from our occupational health service.

Support to access NHS health checks and wellbeing MOTs.

For more details of all of the above go to the Pulse.

We offer many benefits to help enhance your health and wellbeing and/or save you money.


We set up our healthier workforce group in 2013 to lead our work to promote the health and wellbeing of staff.

The group works to identify priorities and actions, monitor performance and strengthen the resilience of our workforce.

By improving the health and wellbeing of staff – we will ultimately provide better patient care.

The healthier workforce group meets ten times a year. We are a sub-group of the Quality Committee, which gives us a direct link to the trust board.

The group is chaired by Caroline Beardall our director of HR & OD and communications and includes people from our trade unions, occupational health, HR, patient services, communications and volunteer services.

The group has worked on this booklet as part of its commitment to your health and wellbeing.

For more details go to the Pulse. To share any thoughts or ideas with the group please email:

[email protected]

About our healthier workforce group

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“I had finger pain and numbness which started in October last year and was affecting my ability to do my job,” said intravenous (IV) therapy nurse Charles Porteous.

“My manager referred me to the physiotherapy service at our occupational health department, and within a week I received an appointment to see a physiotherapist.

“I met with her a week after that, and she carried out an assessment of the specific problem as well as a general assessment, looking at the problem and the possible causes

of the pain. She then agreed with me a course of exercises.

“We arranged a follow-up appointment, at which she evaluated the effectiveness of the exercises and adjusted them as needed.

“I made progress, so was discharged from the service in January, but was pleased to be given the option of further treatment or advice if I need this.

“The treatment helped reduce my pain and improved my ability to continue to do my work. I feel that I was really well supported by the service.”

Charles’ story


Wellbeing and diversityOur work to promote the wellbeing of staff begins with a commitment to diversity and equality that aims to enable us all to maximise our life chances.

Knowing how to get what you need when you need it is critical to taking the next step to good work-life balance and healthier lifestyles or to challenge inappropriate behaviour.

Please email us at [email protected] if you think we do not take full account of your personal characteristics or circumstances.

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Achieving AmbitionsFor our users, staff, teams and the trust

Delivering ExcellenceBecause the people we serve deserve nothing less

Kirsty Billin Senior occupational therapist

Ed Rothery Deputy director of finance

Ali McNealy Oral health promotion team leader

Alex Brewer Web and social media manager

Part of our role is to work with service leaders to help them take more control of their plans and ambitions for the future.

We’ve achieved huge success in helping rough sleepers in Brighton and Hove improve their dental care.

Caring for patients with dementia is an important area for us. We make sure we put the patient at the centre of everything we do.

I’m always looking at ways to ensure our website is up-to-date and engaging.

Living our values

The information in this handbook reflects the trust’s commitment to support the health and wellbeing of staff. It provides useful tips and information, and signposts you to where you might get support you might need, and find additional information. It points to services and support provided by the trust and a number of third parties.

All information is provided in good faith and to our knowledge is correct at the time the handbook is printed. However, the handbook is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. In this way we cannot accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage caused by your reliance on information provided here, and by any omissions in the range and type of information we provide.

Please critically evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content offered in the handbook. If in doubt about any matter raised please seek the advice of your manager or the trust’s occupational health service.

Please do not disregard medical, nursing, therapeutic or other professional advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you have read in this handbook.

Where we signpost you to third party agencies or organisations we do so in good faith but cannot ensure that you will be satisfied with any products, services or information provided by such third parties.

Please always double check...


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Our healthier workforce group leads our work to promote the health and wellbeing of staff.

The group has worked on this booklet as part of its commitment to your health and wellbeing.

The handbook highlights the ways we want to do this. It highlights things you can do as individuals and in your teams, and points to where you can get extra advice and support.

Remember staff can get:

• Free advice and counselling from our employee assistance service, CiC, available 24/7 on freephone 0800 085 1376.

• Advice and support from our occupational health service.

• Support to access NHS Health Checks and MOTs.

For more details of the above and other support available to staff see our health and wellbeing section on the Pulse.

To share your thoughts or ideas with the healthier workforce group please email:[email protected]

steps to health and wellbeing - sussex community nhs trust · as your employer we aim to . exceed...

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