Deborah Creaser
Staff Wellbeing Lead
T: 07876 866973
E: deborah.creaser@nhs.net

Pippa Short
Staff Wellbeing & Recognition Adviser
T: 07795 637 659
E: pippa.short@nhs.net 

Abbie Gibbons
Wellbeing & Recognition Officer
T: 07827 954925
E: abbie.gibbons1@nhs.net 

Yazmin Kang
Wellbeing & Recognition Assistant
T: 07791 567978
E: y.kang@nhs.net

We are really pleased to have a number of Health Improvement Advisers working across the wider Joined Up Care Derbyshire system.

To find out more about your Health Improvement Advisers, click here

If you are looking for information about the Thrive Mental Health App, we regretfully no longer provide free access to this. However we can recommend the apps below and particularly recommend the UnMind App if you are looking for something similar to Thrive.

Bright Sky

Bright Sky is a free to download mobile app providing support and information for anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know.

For more information, please see details and advice about using the app in your app store:

• Bright Sky in Apple Store
• Bright Sky in Google Play

Stay Alive

T

The Stay Alive app is a suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.

The app also links you directly to local and national crisis resources, with space to add in your own as well.

Download the Stay Alive app from your app store.

Headspace

Headspace is a science-backed app in mindfulness and meditation, providing unique tools and resources to help reduce stress, build resilience, and aid better sleep.

They have now extended their free offer and are offering free access to all NHS staff with an NHS email address until 31 December 2023.

Sign up here www.headspace.com/nhs 

Unmind

Unmind is a mental health platform that empowers staff to proactively improve their mental wellbeing. Using scientifically backed assessments, tools and training you can measure and manage your personal mental health needs, including digital programmes designed to help with stress, sleep, coping, connection, fulfilment and nutrition.

They have now extended their free offer and are offering free access to NHS staff until the 31 December 2023.

Sign up here ww.nhs.unmind.com/signup 

ShinyMind

ShinyMind is an evidenced-based app that contains resources, tools and exercises to help support nurses’ wellbeing. It is the only app co-created, developed and tested in partnership with staff from all levels in the NHS. Click here for more information.

Looking After You Too (LAYT): NHS England » Support for our diverse colleagues

Looking After You Too (LAYT) is an individual coaching support offer for BAME NHS staff - it’s a space to offload the demands of whatever you may be experiencing, to deal with difficult conversations, and to ensure that your wellbeing and resilience remains a priority. LAYT aims to help you process the experiences you may be facing, as a member of the BAME community, develop coping skills, and practical strategies to manage situations in order to maintain your own health and wellbeing.

Sign up and see all our NHS Health and Wellbeing support offers for our diverse colleagues via: www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/support-for-our-diverse-colleagues/

Focus Tools

Many of us spend the entire working day at a computer screen and it is easy to forget to take breaks and get distracted by emails or Teams messages. Some studies suggest it takes a full 23 minutes to recover your focus after a distraction. This can impact on our physical and mental wellbeing, and also affect our productivity.

Use wellbeing tools available through Microsoft Teams to help you manage your time and focus better. Take a look here to see what is available to support you to work more healthily.

We are often encouraged to practice more ‘self-care’ but sometimes we wonder what that really means and how do we actually do it. The Blurt Foundation have put together a self-care starter kit which helps you work out what practicing self-care might look like for you.

Join us from 20^th-24^th March for our week-long lunchtime virtual menopause event for colleagues, management and senior leaders across health and social care in the Midlands.

The week will include local and national speakers and will cover all things menopause with a focus on menopause inequalities. From menopause and mental health, queer menopause, the importance of ethnicity and menopause, to menopause for men and workplace adjustments. We also have morning menopause yoga and afternoon meditation sessions!

Our speakers include:

• Dr Nighat Arif - GP with SI in Women’s Health
• Michelle Gascoine - Henpicked
• Kate Muir - Founding member of The Menopause Charity
• Nat Thorne - The Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health
• Dr Aaliyah Goyal - Black County ICB + GP with SI in Women’s Health
• Sammantha Evans - Co-Founder Jo Divine
• Dr Richard Heron - Co-Chair IOMSC

And lots more!

See our timetable for our full list of talks, all hosted on MS Teams. View and book each session via Eventbrite: https://nhsmenopausehub.eventbrite.com/

Any questions please contact stephanie.taylor54@nhs.net and follow us on Twitter @nhsmenohealth

Looking after yourselves and each other has never been so important and your Joined Up Care Derbyshire (JUCD) Wellbeing Team are on-hand to provide support during these exceptionally busy times.

The team have issued a new winter edition of Your Self Care pack - filled with different resources and support services available, along with a list of handy discounts.

Your new winter Self Care pack is available to view here:

Your Self-Care Pack Winter 2023

A new Self Care Club has also been introduced to the JUCD activities timetable. Taking place virtually every Wednesday from 6.15pm - 6.35pm, the Self Care Club offers a time just for you. With opportunities to explore different self-care tools and techniques, you can expect anything from acupressure self-massage, positive affirmations, breathing techniques, meditation, emotional freedom techniques, plus much more. The Self Care Club is available to all, offering seated options and modifications to suit.

Alongside the Self Care Club, the recently refreshed activities timetable contains a wealth of additional activities and workshops available to help support your physical and mental health. All activities free and open to all.

To book a place at the Self Care Club or to view the full range of wellbeing workshops and daily activities available, please click on the online booking platform here.

Take a look below at some of our JUCD activity highlights, including details on how to book!

• Walk and talk - Kingsway
• Walk and talk - Ilkeston
• Zumba - Ripley

All DCHS staff have access to an Employee Assistance Programme provided by an external company called CiC.

It is a free, confidential and independent service that provides support to all employees. It includes emotional and practical assistance for life events, such as having a family, moving house, looking after elderly relatives, relationship issues, bereavement, legal and financial difficulties. The online portal includes helpsheets and resources for many aspects of wellbeing.

How do I access it?
There are several ways to access....
Online: visit www.well-online.co.uk and log in using... login: DTlogin password: wellbeing
By phone: Call 0800 085 1376 or if you are out of the country, for example on holiday dial: +44 2079380983
By email: Send your message to... assist@cic-eap.co.uk
By NGT (Next Generation Text), a service for the hearing or speech impaired persons: dial...18001 0800 085 1376
Clinical therapists answer all calls, on occasions if the line is busy, we will ask you to leave a voicemail with your name,company you work for and telephone number and we will call you back as soon as possible.

On our Wellbeing Intranet pages you will find an abundance of resources to support you to recognise & respond to stress. Stress is something we actually need a little bit of - it is a little mini stress that gets us running for the bus or hurrying away from danger. We often struggle when that feeling we get from a 'mini stress' sticks with us throughout our day and spreads into all areas of our life.

Stress itself is not a mental health condition, but we know that it can develop into depression or anxiety if it is not promptly recognised and responded to.

It is important that we equip ourselves with tools to recognise stress in ourselves and in others.

Do you know your own symptoms of stress? Perhaps you recognise some of these symptoms in yourself or others. You may find that when you are stressed about something in  particular you get a specific stress symptom or you recognise that an early sign of stress produces one symtom and progresses to another symptom as your stress levels increase? It is a good idea to write down your own symptoms of stress and share them with your colleagues so that you can look out for each other.

Stress tends to be triggered by something and it is how we perceive that 'something' that causes us to feel stressed.  Of course there are external factors that contribute, but it is our perception of them that ignites the stress response. For example you have a difficult piece of work to complete (external factor), the piece of work doesn't cause a stress response, but the feelings you have around it may do - e.g ‘I can’t do it, I don’t know enough’ (comes from inside) and causes a stress response.

The key here is to change our belief that we can’t do it and don’t know enough……..the way we perceive things often comes from our core beliefs (beliefs that we have developed as we grew up.) Our negative core beliefs tend to take over when we feel stressed. 

Core beliefs can trigger stress e.g. being late means we don’t care therefore everyone will think badly of us when we arrive late. It isn’t being late that causes stress it is our we then perceive what being late means.

What are your core beliefs? Think of a few recent scenarios where you have felt stressed – try to identify the belief behind the stress response. We can then start to challenge our core beliefs by asking; 

•How could I think about this differently?

•What evidence is there to support my thoughts?

•When this has happened before what happened?

There's lots about stress that we can't control, but there are things we can do to help us be better ready to respond to it. We can do activities that help our general state so that when mini stressses pop up we can respond and then move back into our usual state pretty quickly.

Some tips on looking after your general state include;

*Stay connected to others (you might like to join a peer support group at work or take part in an activity)

*Practice meditation or relaxation (the headspace app is a great place to start & is currently free to NHS staff  Headspace for the NHS – Help Center)

*Start a gratitude list - 3 things each day which make you feel truly thankful. (Before you know it you don't need to look for them any more!)

*Get the basics in place; food, hydration, daylight & move your body!

*When you feel stress lingering around think 'what is the next positive action I could take right now?' (It might be put the kettle on, make a phonecall, ask for help or make a list!)

To look into stress & how you recognise & respond to it in more detail contact the staff wellbeing team on dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net 

You can access further information about stress here (where you can also create your own mind plan) https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/?WT.mc_id=Stress&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0tLL-4_d-gIVTNTtCh3adwAYEAAYASAAEgL3-PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

If you need to talk to someone today you can access a 24/7 counselling support helpline on 0800 085 1376.

Or to arrange a series of counselling appointments contact the Resolve Staff Counselling Service: 01246 515951 resolve@nhs.net

Long COVID employee support service

If you’re experiencing symptoms of long COVID you can access physical rehab and mental health support.

Long COVID can cover a large range of symptoms that persist for over 4 weeks after you first contracted COVID-19. You don’t need to have had a positive COVID-19 test to be experiencing symptoms of long COVID that may include fatigue, breathlessness and effects on mood and concentration.

We are offering all employees experiencing symptoms of long COVID access to the Joined Up Care Derbyshire staff support service (it is no longer only available to NHS and social care colleagues). To access the service you need to compete the self-referral form on Joined Up Care Derbyshireand return it by email to uhdb.longcovidsupport@nhs.net.

A wellbeing telephone appointment will be made to welcome you to the service, get more information about your condition and explain the options available that may be suitable for you. The team will look at your case to make sure that you are directed to the correct service. These could be:

• getting self-help advice and guidance on supporting your mental health
• enrolment onto a 4-week psychoeducational programme ‘Coping with COVID’
• enrolment onto 4-week virtual physical rehabilitation classes of various levels depending on severity screening assessment and ongoing monitoring of vitals - this would be following a 2 week self-directed ‘lung stretching’ phase that links exercise recovery to lung, chest and mental recovery, without exacerbating fatigue
• referral onto acute services or step 3 level mental health support
• access to facilitated virtual peer support group
• information about various lifestyle and support services across Derbyshire that may be helpful

You will be contacted by email from the long COVID support service or a member of staff will make a an initial wellbeing call to the number you provided on your form.

What is Schwartz…?               

Schwartz Rounds are simply an opportunity for lots of us to get together and have a discussion about how our work affects us emotionally. A ‘Round’ is formed of a small panel of staff that share their experience on a chosen topic such as ‘A patient I’ll never forget’ or ‘When even my best wasn’t good enough’. We all sit and listen before being invited to share our own thoughts and reflections. There is no need to say anything, many staff come to simply listen.     

So why do this?

Sitting and discussing the impact of our work in this way is shown to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and bring staff closer together. Ultimately it creates a feeling of us all being in it together. We all struggle with things related to work and it’s ok to share these.

We look forward to welcoming you to the next round so you can discover what Schwartz is for you.

Next Schwartz Round: Thursday 16th March 2023  15:00 - 16:00

Title: 'The power of connection and reaching out'.

Book you space for the Schwartz Round here

The Wellbeing Team is launching a new Men’s Mental Health programme, Pit Stop – a safe space for men to socialise, share support, unload and get back on the road.

The Pit stop programme will run weekly on the following days:

• Monday’s – virtual sessions, 5pm – 6pm
• Thursday’s at RDH or virtual, 5pm – 6pm

(Please see supporting Pit Stop poster for further info)

Supporting Your Child Through Exam Season

At the Virtual Schoolgate (Peer Support Group) we have been having discussions about supporting children through exam season. In response to this we have pulled together some useful links and resources to support you to be there for your child.

Remember that in order to offer support to our children we really need to be offering ourselves some support and love too so be sure to include yourself in any support plans you make. You can find support for you as a parent here and you are very welcome to join the Virtual Schoolgate meeting taking place Thursdays 9.30am - 10.30am - contact pippa.short@nhs.net for the link to join.

• You can find some great tips on how to handle the exam period here Exam stress | Family Lives
• Got 3 minutes? Watch this video here for some tips on revision and how you can help support and motivate your child to get the amount of work right.
• Need to know what NOT to say during exam season? Take a watch of this video here
• Encourage your child to practice some self-care - find activities here Join in with them if you can too!

Family Lives offers a confidential and free* helpline service for families in England and Wales (previously known as Parentline). You can call them on 0808 800 2222 for emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life. If you don’t get an answer first time please do try again.

Helpline opening hours:

Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm

Weekends 10am to 3pm

More information and support available at Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus) | Family Lives

Sometimes we all need someone to talk to – someone that’s not our therapist or our doctor or our family member – but someone who is impartial and isn’t going to try and give advice. Derbyshire Mind are here for you, with MindSpace. 

What is MindSpace?
MindSpace community meetups are informal community walks in local parks. They are perfectly unstructured so that they can flex to suit whatever the group needs or wants on the walk that week. Sometimes we will just walk and talk, sometimes we might stop for a coffee in the local café, sometimes the conversation will be centered around a particular topic that someone has raised.

All MindSpace walks are supported by our fantastic Derbyshire Mind volunteers who are friendly, inclusive, welcoming and really great listeners. We listen without judgement and without trying to ‘fix’ or give advice. You can rely on us to be here every other Friday, same time same place, no matter the weather, and ready to listen to whatever you are feeling or having trouble with.

When and Where?
The groups meet every fortnight at the same location and time – our current MindSpace locations are listed below:

• Fridays (Every Other Week) – Markeaton Park. Meet at 10.30am, at the Model Railway Building by the Main Car Park (DE22 3BG)

We meet whatever the weather, you can rely on us to be there for you. If it is raining, we just pop on a rain coat. If it is sunny, we just pop on some sun cream!
If the weather is extreme however, such as thick ice or snow for instance, then we will move the group to our ‘Plan B café’ location for safety reasons. We will inform you by posting this on our social media pages and by contacting everyone that is registered to that walk location.

How to Book a Place on an Upcoming MindSpace MeetUp:
We would love to meet you at your local MindSpace group!

If you are thinking of joining us on a MindSpace meet up in your local park we ask that you register your attendance. You only need to do this once.  This is so that we have your contact details needed to add you to our MindSpace database and we can contact you if the walk has to be moved to a cafe due to weather.
After that first registration you are very welcome to just turn up at the park each fortnight or whenever suits you.

You can Register Your Attendance here.

You can find all of their upcoming walks and groups on their Activities Calendar page.

It is hard to separate Mental Health from Wellbeing in general - lots of the information on our Wellbeing Intranet pages is there to support your Mental Health such as access to counselling and the Peer Support Groups. However, we know that we are great at taking care of others and sometimes this means that taking care of ourselves gets forgotten about or perhaps doesn’t feel natural. We've put together some self-care ideas as well as some useful websites/podcasts/ resources for you to access.

Worried about someone else's mental health? Look at this factsheet for advice on what to do.

Self - Care
Self-care is a collective term for activities we do or actions we take to look after ourselves inside and out. Practising self-care techniques and making some general lifestyle changes, even if small at first, can help manage the symptoms of many mental health problems. Practising self-care can also prevent some problems from developing or getting worse.

Some useful ideas for self-care;

• Go for a walk with no distractions
• Listen to your favourite music
• Read a fiction book
• Have a relaxing bath
• Write in a journal
• Get creative or practise a hobby
• Get active, for example dancing

More ideas are available on the MIND website.

The Blurt Foundation – We understand that there can be limitations in the amount of ‘budget’ we have for our self-care, so for some low-cost ideas take a look at this blog page.

Hell Yeah Self Care – This is a great straight talking “zine” that looks at what self-care is, what its origins are and how self-care can give us the strength to fight for what we believe in.

Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk) which includes some self-guided therapy and also you can download your own ‘mind plan’.

CENTER - A 30 Day Yoga Journey - YouTube ​​​​​​​

Derbyshire County Council - New adults only wellbeing group in Clay Cross.

Kenning Park Forest School has launched a new adults only wellbeing project.

Sessions will run every Friday during term time from 12.30pm to 3.30pm at Kenning Park at
the fisheries car park, just off Fishes Lane in Clay Cross.

Have a go at:

• Finding wild food
•  Crafts
•  Making bird feeders
•  Guided walks
•  Exploring and improving the park

There will be free refreshments and lunch.

For more information, call 07743 110 078 or email:  kenningparkforestschool@gmail.com

I need to speak to someone today.....
You can access counselling support over the phone 24/7  on 0800 085 1376.

Or via the Samaritans confidential NHS staff support line (7am-11pm) dial 116 123

Or if you prefer to text then you can also message
 'FRONTLINE' to 85258 for support 24/7 via text.

I would like to arrange a series of counselling appointments.....
You can self-refer to the Resolve Counselling Service by email at resolve@nhs.net or by calling 01246 515951


 

Bereavement Peer Support Group.  Jason Rose (Resolve Counsellor) runs this support group for colleagues within our trust and across the Derbyshire system. The group provides an opportunity to share and reflect with others in a safe and supportive space.

Please contact dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net if you would like the link to join the group. 

The Good Grief Trust.  The Good Grief Trust exists to help all those affected by grief in the UK. Their vision is to help those bereaved from day one, acknowledge their grief and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support. The trust brings bereavement services together, to ensure that everyone receives the tailored support they need to move forward with their lives.

The Lullaby Trust. The trust offer confidential bereavement support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child. Open every day of the year, their free helpline offers you a place to talk; a listening service that is confidential and for as long as you need. 

Bereavement Advice Centre. Bereavement Advice Centre supports, advises and signpost people on the many issues and procedures that face us after the death of someone close. 

Ramadan is a special month in the Islamic calendar, practiced by Muslims around the world. It remembers the month that their holy book, the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. The dates for Ramadan follow the cycles of the moon. In 2023, Ramadan begins on Wednesday 22 March and ends on Friday 21 April. There is a festival (Eid al-Fitr) to mark the end of Ramadan when Muslims break their daylight fasting.

During Ramadan many Muslims avoid eating or drinking during the hours of daylight. Instead, along with families and friends they share one meal before sunrise, and another just after sunset.

​​Fasting in this way for 30 days can be both mentally and physically challenging. If you or a colleague will be fasting during Ramadan it is important to consider how this may impact wellbeing and identify any adjustments which may need to be made. You might like to have a conversation to consider;

• The timing of tasks; when fasting the afternoons can leave us feeling a little low in energy. If at all possible it’s a good idea to move more complex tasks to the morning.
• Although not breaking to eat lunch, it is still vital that we take a break during the day to get some fresh air and recharge.
• Be flexible with working patterns to make the most of energy during the day. During Ramadan colleagues may be getting up earlier than usual to have a meal before sunrise and staying up late for evening prayers. Combined with fasting this can lead to fatigue and drops in concentration.

​​We hope this Ramadan brings blessings to all those who observe it.

In NHS services we can at times encounter events or circumstances, involving patients, staff or visitors which may lead to psychological harm. We have put together this helpful guidance for leaders and managers to help support teams if these events occur.

Our staff look after people each and every day and we need to take the time to ensure we look out for them.

The ‘Going Home Checklist’ can be used to encourage reflection and mindfulness at the end of a working day.

Take a look at the checklist here

My team have experienced something difficult.....
We know that sometimes teams may need a helping hand to navigate the challenges they face. Resolve provide support for teams following difficult situations. Complete a referral form here for your team and return to dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net

I would like a wellbeing check in for my team....
Your Staff Wellbeing Team are able to facilitate a Wellbeing Check in for your team. Email us at DCHST.YourWellbeingTeam@nhs.net to arrange.
 

I would like some ideas to use to prompt wellbeing check in conversations with my team....

Try using a visual check in at the start of your team meeting - why not start with one of the ones below?

Dog Check In

Sheep Check In

Christmas Tree Check In 

You could ask a question instead of using a visual scale- why not try one of the questions below?

How are you today on a scale of 1 to 10?

What’s in the front of your mind today?

Tell us a high and a low from your week.

What is a challenge you are facing right now, and how can folks help? 

I would like to create a wellbeing plan with my colleague....

It is a great idea to create a wellbeing plan. This one here is really helpful to use as a plan or simply as a prompt when discussing wellbeing. You can consider what helps you to feel at your best and what things you can start, stop and continue to do in order to support and sustain your wellbeing.

I would like some support as a Leader...

You can find more information for leaders on the Leading the DCHS way page. You may find the guides below helpful when supporting yourself and your team.

•  Supporting you                                                                                   
•  Supporting your team                                                                                 
•  Supporting your staff 

First Thursday of the month 11.30-12.15 Click here to join the meeting  

Whilst it is exciting joining a new organisation, it can also be a tricky time to adjust with lots of new information to take in. We want to ensure that all of our new starters have the opportunity to find out what wellbeing support is available to them and an opportunity to reflect on their wellbeing as they settle in. So, we have set up a virtual monthly drop in session for new starters to pop along to - we recommend dropping in as often as you like as you settle in - sometimes questions and needs only become apparent as time goes on and you learn about your role and the organisation.

We look forward to welcoming you. 

Your Wellbeing Team

Click here to join the meeting 

Sometimes thank you just isn’t enough and people deserve some extra recognition.  If you think a colleague has done something that is noteworthy why not nominate them to receive some DCHS TTT – thank you, time and tea! or Say thank you with a card.

What is a Staff Wellbeing Champion?

Staff Wellbeing Champions are members of staff who are passionate about helping and supporting others in the workplace. At DCHS, we have a team of dedicated Champions who are committed to promoting health & wellbeing to their colleagues and other members of staff at various locations across the county.

Our Champions are able to: 

• Create a workplace wellbeing culture

• Encourage colleagues to take part in health initiatives

• Run awareness campaigns

• Develop existing skills and learn new ones

• Access further training opportunities

For DCHS it means that where there is a Staff Wellbeing Champion there is a dedicated member of staff who will be promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and able to signpost colleagues into healthy lifestyle services.

I would like to become a Staff Wellbeing Champion - what do I do?

If you are interested in becoming a Staff Wellbeing Champion, please take a look at the role descriptor here and complete the Expression of Interest form with your manager before returning to Pippa Short at  pippa.short@nhs.net 

View the latest Staff Wellbeing Champion Newsletter here

We are pleased to announce that, in collaboration with colleagues across Joined Up Care Derbyshire, we are able to offer a limited number of licenses to Vitrue VIDA desk assessments, on a first come first served basis.
What is VIDA?
VIDA is a digital platform that assesses your workspace and working habits, from your posture to your equipment to your break habits. It spots any potential risks for issues like back pain and suggests simple changes you can make to improve your wellbeing. If you already have pain, it’ll help you to reduce it. ​​​​​​​
Who is it for?
If you work in a static space, for example at home or in a dedicated office, then VIDA might be helpful for you.

How do I access it?
You can register for a desk assessment by completing this form https://forms.office.com/e/FsGeaLxYm5 you will then be sent a link to take part in the assessment.
 

I need access to Physiotherapy.....
There are two ways staff can access Physiotherapy services within DCHS:

1. Personal - you can self-refer to DCHS Outpatients Physio. Click here for details of your nearest available service.

2. Work related – you can self refer or your Manager can refer you. Please contact Occupational Health to see the Staff Physiotherapist on 01246 515696 or email DCHST.occupationalhealth@nhs.net

I would like to have an eye test - can I claim any of the cost?

Take a look here for a reimbursement form for your eye test and/ or glasses

I am worried about my drinking - where can I access support?

Visit drinkwisederby.org.uk for tools and resources to support you as well as access to speak to someone for specialist support.

I need to see a podiatrist:
The Community Podiatry Service provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for a range of lower limb and foot problems. DCHS staff who are registered with a Derbyshire GP service are able to self-refer to our service via our online application form: http://www.dchs.nhs.uk/home/request-for-community-podiatry-assessment 

All applications will be triaged against our access criteria and an appointment will be offered if the application meets the criteria.

I would like to lose weight:

If you are interested in accessing support to lose weight you can find support available on the relevant website below.

• Derbyshire – Live Life Better Derbyshire - Home - Live Life Better Derbyshire
• Staffordshire - Everyone Health – Staffordshire - Everyone Health
• Derby – Livewell - Livewell | Derby City Council's wellbeing service (livewellderby.co.uk)
• Leicester -Live Well Leicester -  Helping to improve Leicester's Health and Wellbeing - Live Well Leicester
• Nottinghamshire – Your Health- Nottinghamshire’s Wellbeing Service | Your Health Your Way (yourhealthnotts.co.uk)

I would like to improve my fitness and wellbeing: 

1. Morning Energiser - This 10-minute sequence will mobilise your joints, reignite your circulation and prepare your body for your day ahead.

2. Morning Stretch for Lower Back Pain and Tight Hips - If you tend to be very tight in the morning when you wake up, or regularly experience lower back pain for no apparent reason, then this routine will help stretch the tight muscles which are often causing the pain.

3. Midday Mobilisation - Been sitting all morning? Get up and move your body for 10 minutes in the middle of your day to re-energise and stretch.

4. Seated Stretch - This routine is for you if you are desk bound working on an important project, but just need a quick movement break. Stay at your desk and perform these stretches to eliminate tightness and pain and feel a little refreshed.

5. Posture Correcting Routine - After a long day of sitting or driving, these exercises will help correct any rounding of the back and tightness in the chest. If you feel your posture is starting to lose form, then this one will be a great help if you can do it regularly.

6. Evening Wind-Down Routine - At the end of a long day, treat your body to a relaxing stretch, brining your heart rate down and getting the blood flowing effectively back around the whole body. Practice this every evening to promote a good night’s sleep.

Sleep Relaxation Video :  Samantha Birds, one of our Health and Wellbeing support workers in the Post-Covid Clinic, has designed and created a Sleep Relaxation Video, helping to calm the mind and get a better nights sleep. View Samantha's video here

​​​Working when unwell - We have put together some information highlighting what happens to your body when you are unwell, the importance of staying at home and how illness can impact on our ability to work. Take a look at the poster here

What can Occupational health help me with?
Occupational Health provide confidential advice and support to help you be safe and well at work. They can help you deal with the effects of work on your health and the effects of your health on your capacity to work. Occupational health can support with:

• Management Referral 
• Self Referral
• Counselling and Support
• Inoculation Incident
• Health Surveillance
• Health Screening

How do I contact Occupational Health?
Tel: 01246 515696

Email: DCHST.occupationalhealth@nhs.net

How do I make a referral for my member of staff to Occupational Health?
You can make a referral by registering and completing the information here and you can find out how the referral process works here

Can I refer myself to Occupational Health?
Yes you can.  To self refer contact them directly Tel: 01246 515696 Email: DCHST.occupationalhealth@nhs.net
 

Self-referral is completely confidential; therefore your line manager will not be contacted without your knowledge and consent. In some cases it may be beneficial for your line manager to know what work based assistance you need, so they can support you appropriately. In these cases we will recommend that you speak to your manager about making a formal referral. You may wish to self-refer to Occupational Health for a range of different topics, including:  Skin Assessment  To explore what support is available for personal or work related stress  To find out how to access physiotherapy  General advice on Health and Wellbeing  Lifestyle Screen 

We have put together some useful resources to support you with your physical and mental wellbeing.

British Nutrition Foundation - Top Tips for Men
Take a look at this short set of Top tips for men’s health - British Nutrition Foundation to see if you are giving your body the best chance of thriving with good nutrition!

The Men's Health Forum is a good source of easy to digest information relating to all aspects of male health. Take a look at their website here Men's Health Forum (menshealthforum.org.uk) and take a moment to complete their 'Do it Yourself MOT' DIY Man MOT | Men's Health Forum (menshealthforum.org.uk) to gauge how you are and find out what you could do to be feeling better!

Know Your Numbers
Do you know your heart age? Take a short quiz here to find out what your heart age is. Make yourself aware of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and learn how to reduce the risk here

Have you heard about Men’s Sheds?

Find out what they are by watching this short video 

Men’s Sheds are kitted out community spaces where men can enjoy practical hobbies. They’re about making friends, learning and sharing skills. Many men go along just for the tea and banter, everyone is made to feel welcome.

Men’s Sheds have been shown to improve men’s mental health and happiness; each shed is different and they are based all over the world! If you would like to find out more and find out where your nearest Shed is then take a look here or follow them on twitter @UKMensSheds

Lifestyle services Derbyshire and surrounding areas

If you are interested in accessing support to quit smoking, reduce alcohol intake or lose weight you can support available on the relevant website below.

• Derbyshire – Live Life Better Derbyshire - Home - Live Life Better Derbyshire
• Staffordshire - Everyone Health – Staffordshire - Everyone Health
• Derby – Livewell - Livewell | Derby City Council's wellbeing service (livewellderby.co.uk)
• Leicester -Live Well Leicester -  Helping to improve Leicester's Health and Wellbeing - Live Well Leicester
• Nottinghamshire – Your Health- Nottinghamshire’s Wellbeing Service | Your Health Your Way (yourhealthnotts.co.uk)

Andropause (Male Menopause)

• NHS Choices on the Male Menopause - The basics on the male menopause or andropause
• I Think I Might Have... - The British Association of Urological Surgeons patient advice page on male menopause

I would like to improve my fitness.....

#DoingOurBit is a platform of over 50 free workouts for NHS staff. Inspired by NHS keyworker Julie Davis, who wanted to support her colleagues with access to free fitness during lockdown and beyond, #DoingOurBit was created by leading fitness industry businesses Active IQ, Study Active and fibodo. Each gave their time generously and freely – as did all 40 PTs whose workouts are featured – to ‘give back’ and ‘do their bit’ to support the hardworking NHS. You can access the platform here 

We have created a list of Gyms and Leisure Centres within the Derbyshire area that offer discounts on their memberships for NHS Staff.  We have also included discounts via Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts that are too good to miss. See the list here

I would like support with my health and nutrition....

Eating nutritious food is a critical part of health, development and wellbeing. Whilst it is not always easy to maintain a healthy diet, eating healthy foods in the right amounts gives your body energy to perform daily activities, maintain a healthy body weight and can lower your risk of certain diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. 

We have put together a list of some useful websites to help support you with your health and nutrition.

British Heart Foundation: The BHF Heart Matters magazine is packed full of information, inspiration and support. Access all the different articles here

British Nutrition Foundation: The BNF work with experts to provide impartial, evidence-based information to educate and supporting those on a journey towards a healthy and sustainable diet. Learn more about it here

The Food Medic by Dr Hazel Wallace: With the aim to educate, inspire and help everyone achieve a better health, The Food Medic is packed full of easy recipes, informative articles and actionable tips to support a health lifestyle. See more from The Food Medic here 

With 87% of female employees working in DCHS, it is important to support their physical and mental health. As a result the Hormone and Reprodcutvie Health Project has been developed to help increase awareness of conditions including andrenopuase, menopuase and endometrisois within the workplace and to help staff to develop a Hormone and Reproductive Health Wellness Action Plan which can be incorporated within the Staff Wellbeing Strategy.

We want everyone to be able to talk openly with confidence about Hormone and Reproductive Health conditions without embarrassment, with colleagues and managers. These conditions and their symptoms are not just an issue for women; everyone needs to be aware, so that they can support colleagues to continue to be successful in their role.

Want to know more? Visit our Hormone and Reproductive Health page.

Below are some websites that you might find useful in helping to support your journey in quitting smoking:

• Live Life Better Derbyshire
• NHS Better Health - Quit smoking

Looking after your oral health is important and it's not just about keeping your teeth looking nice.

Oral health can have an impact on a wide range of different issues including nutrition, school attendance, sleep patterns and general health and wellbeing too.

• Search for an NHS dentist close to you. You don't need to register with one in the same way as a GP.
• If you need a dentist urgently, the NHS 111 service will help you find emergency dental treatment.
• Healthwatch Derbyshire have some advice If you're finding it hard to get a dental appointment

You can also find out more about how to care for your teeth, mouth and gums, at every stage of life.

Welcome to our engagement and wellbeing project 'Coffee Circle'.

The aim of the project is to encourage new friendships, networking within different DCHS services and just a reminder to take a break.

The idea is colleagues will be matched at random to meet for either a virtual or face to face coffee within the month. You will then go back in the coffee circle to be matched and meet another colleague the next month.

To take part in the 'Coffee Circle' , please complete the form below.

https://forms.office.com/r/8uKVD4u8Md

Join one of our peer support groups for parenting, financial wellness or women’s health.

Find out more about our peer support groups here. 

Most of us will have experienced times when we feel a little isolated or disconnected from the world around us. Loneliness can affect anyone and the recent pandemic has increased a lot of people's feelings of being alone.

Sometimes certain life events may mean that you can feel lonely or isolated, these may include:

• experiencing a death or loss
• experiencing loss through suicide
• going through a relationship break-up
• retiring and losing the social contact you had at work
• changing jobs and feeling isolated from your co-workers
• starting at university
• financial isolation such as debt, money worries or fears over redundancy
• moving to a new area without family, friends or community networks

There are lots of groups and projects across Derbyshire that are helping to tackle loneliness and improve social connections.

Why not find out more here about what is happening in your local area to help tackle loneliness.

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS FT is committed to positively shaping it's culture and behaviours to be fair, diverse and inclusive. A key way of achieving this is through our staff network groups, who offer support and guidance for staff, a chance to network with like-minded colleagues and increase equality issues through allyship.  The executive team also provides directives and look to the groups to support the aims of the Trust, as well as the groups feeding into the executive team where support may be needed to facilitate change.

For me information on our Staff Network Groups please click here 

DCHS believe in an open and honest culture and is committed to creating and supporting a culture where members of staff are encouraged and empowered to raise concerns without fear of recrimination or victimisation in any way.

The FTSU guardian has a key role in helping to raise the profile of raising concerns in DCHS and provide confidential advice and support to staff in relation to concerns you may have about including about patient safety and/or the way their concern has been handled.

At DCHS, our FTSU Guardian is Jackie Rawlings.

Jackie is supported by 24 ambassadors, who play an important role in supporting her,  positively promoting key messages about speaking up and acting as champions for the FTSU agenda.

How do I raise a concern? Take a look at the supporting information page here. 

Financial worries or difficulties can really impact our mental health. It is important that you are able to seek support and advice when required so we have put together a few useful contacts and links here and also created a useful guide of support - click here to access. 

Supporting staff to help money go further - There is a range of widely-available financial wellbeing support and ideas to help any member of health and care staff make their money go further, including:

• Cavell Nurses’ Trust: the charity helps registered nurses, midwives, nursing associates, maternity support workers and healthcare assistants, both working and retired, who are experiencing personal or financial hardship. 
• The Queen’s Nursing Institute: provides financial support for nurses.

To find out more about these options and others available, visit NHS England » Supporting our staff to help money go further

The Healthcare Workers’ Foundation is a registered charity founded by healthcare workers, for healthcare workers, to address crucial welfare and wellbeing needs.  

At the Healthcare Workers’ Foundation, they provide grants of up to £1,000 to healthcare workers, no matter what your role, who are struggling with their finances.

It’s easy to apply for financial support and they have two funds to choose from.

• General Fund - up to £1,000
• Rainy Day Fund - up to £250

Visit the website here to learn more about the financial support available. 

Did you know that MoneyHelper has a dedicated number for NHS colleagues to access money and pensions guidance? You can call them on 0800 448 0826 

Why not try Money Helpers 'Couch to Financial Fitness' Programme - a 10 week programme available here 

Money Helper - www.moneyhelper.org.uk for advice on pensions, savings, debt and money worries.

Debt Advice - Contact The Debt Advice Foundation, a specialist debt charity offering free, confidential advice on any aspect of debt. Call for FREE debt advice on 0800 043 40 50 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)

NHS staff telephone support line - NHS colleagues can call this support line, provided by the Money Advice Service, for free and impartial money advice from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Call: 0800 448 0826 WhatsApp Add +44 7701 342 744 to your WhatsApp and send the Money Advice Service’s national support team a message for help with sorting out your debts, credit questions and pensions guidance. Webchat Chat to one of the Money Advice Service team via their online portal.

Financial Wellness Support Group - Join the Staff Wellbeing Team on the first Wednesday of each month to chat all things financial wellbeing, sharing tips and worries together. Contact dchst.yourwelbeing@nhs.net for the link to join.

Learn how to think about your finances differently in the Financial Wellness Webinar

Derbyshire County Council - The cost of living is rising and this could have a big impact on all aspects of your finances including energy bills, the cost of your weekly shop and your take home pay.

Derbyshire County Council have put together lots of information and advice, designed to ensure that you're getting all the help that you are entitled to. Please click here to visit their website.

Working From Home Tax Relief - Take a look here to see if you are eligible to claim tax relief whilst working from home. Take a look here for help on how to claim from Martin Lewis (moneysavingexpert.com). 

Energy Saving Tips & Tricks - If you couldn't make it to the latest Marches Energy Workshop you can still pick up some top energy saving tips and tricks as we recorded the session for you! Access it  here 

Salary Finance - Money can be complicated, and for that reason many of us don’t like to think about it. Salary Finance is a new employee benefit that could help you worry less about money by making it simple. Salary Finance offers:

• Loans repaid through salary: Loans at affordable rates with higher acceptance than banks. A lower-rate loan could help you save money by paying off more expensive debt or allow you to pay less interest if you need to borrow money for a car, home improvement or unexpected expense. Representative Rate 9.9% APR (fixed). For loans under £5,000, Salary Finance offers a price promise - if you get a better rate they'll match it.
• Money insights: a range of tips and videos as well as tools for budgeting and saving to help make money simple.

To find out more, visit the website here

Important: This is an option, not a recommendation. Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust does not benefit from offering this service and all your communications will be with Salary Finance. Loan applications will be assessed to ensure the loan is appropriate and affordable for you. “Learn” content is for guidance and educational purposes only and is generic in nature. Salary Finance does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.

To find out more about Salary Finance and the financial support available to you, visit: https://home.salaryfinance.com/dchs

Salary Finance Webinar  - To help you improve your financial resilience, their Head of Financial Education, Jason Butler recently hosted an interactive 1-hour webinar that covered:

• How getting rid of debt could improve your ability to deal with a financial crisis
• The part your mindset has to play in being resilient
• An action plan for how to move from surviving to thriving

To watch the recording, click here.

Important: Derbyshire Community Health Services does not benefit from offering this service and all your communications will be with Salary Finance. Loan applications will be assessed to ensure the loan is appropriate and affordable for you. “Learn” content is for guidance and educational purposes only and is generic in nature. Salary Finance does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.

DCHS Staff Cost of Living Support Fund

With the support of the DCHS Charitable Trust, we are pleased to be able to offer financial support to colleagues who are struggling to meet the rising cost of living.

The objective of the fund is to act as a last resort for anyone who can demonstrate financial hardship as a result of the rising cost of living and where all other opportunities for support have been exhausted via a referral to the Citizens Advice service. You will find a brief overview of the details of the fund below - you can find more details including an application form by clicking here. You can see the Cost of Living Support Fund Flyer here

Who can apply?

The DCHS Staff Cost of Living Support Fund is open to anyone working at DCHS.  Applications can only be made with the support of Citizen’s Advice. You will need to self-refer to the Citizen’s Advice service on 0808 146 7709 who will provide advice and support you to explore all financial opportunities available to you. Where an application to the hardship fund is indicated you will be advised to make an application. 

Application

Grants will be awarded at the following levels:

• Level One - Up to £100, which will be considered by nominated personnel
• Level two - £101 - £500, which will be considered by an agreed panel

Applications are limited to one application per person to the Cost of Living Support Fund.

You need to provide a detailed personal statement (typed or written clearly) explaining what your current financial situation is and the reasons why you are applying to the Fund. Additional supporting information must be attached with your application.

Please make sure you read the full guidance & information sheet before submitting an application.

The form can be submitted electronically or via post.

• If you are submitting the form via email, please send to: dchst.staffsupportfund@nhs.net
• If you are submitting the form via post, please mark as “Private and Confidential” and send to:

DCHS Staff Cost of Living Support Fund Applications

Liz Hardy
Brookdale Unit
Ash Green Disability Centre
Ashgate Road
Ashgate
Chesterfield
Derbyshire S42 7JE

Wagestream is live!
You can now access Wagestream, your brand-new financial wellbeing benefit, that lets you access a percentage of your pay, whenever you need it. You can also track your wages in real-time, learn easy tips to manage your money and save your wages straight from your pay.

To find out more, click here

NHS Discounts Available - We know money is tighter than ever at the moment - we've put together a little video highlighting some of the discounts available to you as a member of the NHS - click the image below to view

Health Service Discounts: Offer exclusive discounts, cashback and vouchers for NHS staff including shopping, travel, mobiles, motoring, and utilities. 

To access Health Service Discount, click here (It is FREE to sign up)

Blue Light Card (£4.99 for 2 years access to amazing discount) - Home to a range of official discounts from large national retailers to local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones and much more! Discounts available on-line and in-stores!
Click here to access the website

Blue Light Tickets - Once you are a member of Blue Light card you will also have access to sign up to the Blue Light Tickets. Which provides you with the chance of getting free tickets to venues, sports events, attractions, festivals, and concerts.
Sign up here to be one of the first to find out about new ticket opportunities!

Blue Light Card Reimbursement - We want to try and make it a little easier for our DCHS colleagues so we are delighted to announce that we will reimburse the cost of a Blue Light Card, enabling you to access a wide range of discounts on-line and on the high street. 

The Blue Light Card is open to all NHS staff. Quick and easy to apply for, it costs £4.99 and is valid for two years. Register here and your card will be posted to your home address.

Claim your reimbursement via EasyExpenses by selecting ‘Blue Light Card’ under expense type and the cost of the card will automatically be applied. For bank staff, please contact the wellbeing team at dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net for details on how to claim back the cost of your BLC. 

Concerts for Carers - a not-for-profit charity promoting the mental health and wellbeing of NHS and paid Care workers across the UK.Gives you the chance to win tickets to a wide variety of events around the UK. All successful ballot entries are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of £4.50 and payment is taken if ballot is unsuccessful. 
Click here to sign up

NHS Discount Offers - We aim to provide the best deals, discounts and promotions available on the Internet, with over 100 different retailer offers available. 
All our deals are online and therefore not available in-store.
Click here to sign up 
 

Building on a project in partnership with Citizen’s advice in the 0-19 service, which has seen increased demand since the onset of austerity measures following the economic downturn and changes to the universal credit system, DCHS is pleased to announce a dedicated service for staff.

The need for greater financial support has greatly intensified following the chronic social and financial aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic response and the current cost of living increases being experienced and the pending increase to national insurance contributions that are due to take effect from 1 April 2022.

Citizen’s advice will provide advice, help and support to staff on a range of issues and will improve their health and reduce health inequalities.

The service will provide advice, support and advocacy on categories including but not limited to:

• welfare benefits
• debt management and write off
• employment issues
• housing and homelessness
• domestic abuse
• relationships and family
• discrimination and cost of living increases

If you are experiencing financial worries or you would like some advice take a look at the Citizens advice website for information on where to turn for support https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money.

One of our attendees at the Financial Wellbeing Peer Support Group has kindly pulled together some hints and tips to help make our money go further. You can read the latest blog here

The Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board has put together a cost-of-living advice and support webpage that signposts to resource available in Derbyshire. Please click the link for more information.

FREE Will Writing Service
No Cost, No Catch, No Excuse.

Making a Will is one of those things that many people put off. However, having a Will in place is an important way to protect your family and loved ones at the most difficult of times.

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and Estate Planning & Will Writing specialists Dunham McCarthy are able to offer you a free will writing service to help you plan for your future, protecting your family and loved ones.

The free service is provided remotely, either by telephone or video call, at a time to suit you. You will have an adviser to help you complete each step from start to finish.

For more information and to book your initial appointment please click here

For FAQ'S about the service please click here

Mediation Information Sheet

Mediation Referral Form

We know health and wellbeing conversations are happening everyday between colleagues in many different ways and formats. That might be through formal 1:1s, appraisal, clinical supervision or through informal conversations. It is important that this continues. We have put together a Wellbeing Action Plan document to support your conversations.

Quality Conversations Training

Would you like to know how to have conversations that lead to real change? Essential Foundations in Quality Conversations training may be just for you!

The Quality Conversations programme aims to support frontline staff to get the most from the time spent with patients, clients, service users and their families and carers by providing a set of tools and resources for use in day-to-day practice.

The programme focuses on interactions with patients, clients, service users, families and carers but the principles are relevant to all our conversations such as colleagues, and family and friends. 

Undertaking the training will help you with your reflective thinking and will support revalidation and appraisal.

Joined Up Care Derbyshire is supporting this exciting programme which is FREE and available to ALL STAFF ACROSS DERBYSHIRE in acute care, primary care, community services, social care and voluntary services.

Take a look at the supporting poster for more information, training dates available and how to book your place. 

What is the Wellness Action Plan?

The Wellness Action Plan (WAP) is primarily a tool for employees and their line manager to start a conversation about mental health and capture anything that may affect their mental health within the workplace. For more information download the Wellness Action Plan.

An updated version of the WAP, aimed specifically at supporting staff through the pandemic, can be downloaded here.

What Health & Wellbeing Training is available?
We have an exciting programme of  FutureProof Health & Wellbeing Training available to you - take a look at what is on offer here and book your place via ESR.

For Wellbeing Conversations Training, click here for more information on session available and to reserve your space.

I would like a bespoke training session for my team.....
We know that sometimes your team might need something that responds directly to their needs and so we are happy to tailor something for you. Contact your Staff Wellbeing Team at dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net or call  01332 564856 and select option 6

Do you want to be more active in caring for your health and wellbeing, but not sure what to focus on? 
You can arrange a Wellbeing Coaching Call with a member of your Wellbeing Team - an opportunity to find out what support is available to you and chat through topics such as routine, work life balance and managing change. Email dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net to book a call.
 

No matter what stage you are at in your leadership journey, the Leadership Development team have information that can help you at every step.

For more information, take a look their page here

White Rose Beauty Colleges are offering a fully funded Level 2 Diploma in Complementary Therapies, focusing on the holistic approach to health and wellbeing with massage, reflexology and aromatherapy, plus much more!

The course includes one day ‘Wellness Workshop’ that will be held at White Rose Beauty Colleges in Derby, where staff can benefit from a day of relaxation and enjoy massage, reflexology and aromatherapy treatments.

Plus, staff will have access to an interactive online learning platform, with tutor input and guidance.

Course Overview

• Fully funded course for aged 19 and over.
• The course will run online and will be accessible for 10 weeks with a one-day practical workshop included.
• The course is very self-managing and students may complete the tasks in their own time, as long as deadlines are met.
• Upon completion of the course, students will be qualified in a Level 2 Diploma in Complementary Therapies. They may use their new skills to promote their own health and wellbeing and that of their family, friends and work colleagues or incorporate these skills into their current job role.

Staff can follow the link to reserve their place https://forms.office.com/e/UGTVBQ3vaj
Click here to see the supporting poster

Getting out and about is really important, not just for physical wellbeing but for our emotional and mental health too.

Whether it's dusting off the bike, the daily commute or joining a walking group, there's lots of opportunities to get moving as well as practice the five ways to wellbeing. 

Find out how you can make your travel time count towards your health and wellbeing with our short video here. 

You can also find out more about Active Travel and how to make healthier, more sustainable travel choices here. 

Sustainability is about using our resources sensibly and striking the right balance between ‘Economic’, ‘Social’ and ‘Environmental’ considerations. 

Take a look here to learn more about available options within DCHS to help us become more sustainable.