Essex and Herts wellbeing staff engagement survey

As part of the COVID-19 response, there was recognition of the urgent need to strengthen the health and wellbeing support to staff to take account of the demands being placed on them, both in terms of the intensity of work for some staff and uncertainty, stress and anxiety for the whole workforce.

The Enhanced Occupational Health and Wellbeing programme (EHWB) is part of the National Health and Wellbeing programme which is a key workstream within the People Directorate’s Workforce Cell. As part of the national H&WB programme, there is an expectation that all ICS’s must-have local Enhanced Health and Wellbeing programme on offer to improve the availability of wellbeing support to staff. The EHWB programme is aimed at providing additional targeted support for staff groups to raise awareness of the need for support and to address barriers to accessing health and wellbeing services. By using digital innovation, we can enhance the well-being and occupational health services on offer. The ambition is to support our staff across the two systems in managing their own health and wellbeing more proactively by developing and implementing a digital wellbeing check for staff from the age of 18 years.

What are we doing?

As part of the Enhanced Health and Wellbeing Programme, Hertfordshire County Council’s Public Health team is working with Hertfordshire and West Essex (HWE) ICS and Suffolk and North East Essex (SNEE) ICS to develop a behaviourally informed intervention taking on a holistic approach to identify health, behavioural and lifestyle challenges. The aim of the intervention is to ensure staff get the right help at the right time in the right way by providing support and expertise to address them.

Hertfordshire County Council’s Behaviour Change Unit is in the early stages of developing a Wellbeing Check digital platform for HWE and SNEE ICS staff in order to support staff to effectively manage their health and wellbeing.

Staff Engagement: Why is it important and how do we aim to achieve it?

In order for the intervention to be relevant, appropriate and effective to meet the needs of all staff groups in HWE & SNEE ICS systems, we would like to engage staff to have their say and help us co-produce a platform which can effectively contribute to the improvement of their overall wellbeing and lifestyle. We do not want to only rely on research data to tell us what is appropriate. Instead we would like to combine research data and consult with staff members to ensure the intervention is tailored to address their needs.

We are engaging staff members to give their input to the development of the platform in two ways:

1. By asking you to complete a consultation questionnaire available until the end of June 2021
2. By inviting you to take part in interviews and focus groups due to take place in July 20201

Since there are more than 53,000 staff members in HWE and SNEE ICS, the best way we can ensure to collect everyone’s input would be by completing the consultation questionnaire. Additionally, we plan to hold small focus groups and interviews with selected people from both ICS’s in July 2021.

When will the digital platform be available?

We are at the early stages of developing the digital platform. We anticipate, during phase 1 of the project, groups from health care, social care and primary care will be able to access the platform. by the end of Summer 2021. Phase 2 will include the wider workforce and all staff groups from both ICS’s including the voluntary sector. The anticipated date for this is by early 2022.

How can you help?

To engage as many of your colleagues as possible in this consultation, to help raise awareness and to encourage your team to complete the consultation form. If you wish to be interviewed, there is an option to select in the form to indicate your interest.

Contact

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the programme please email Rushma Patel

New digital platform for ICS staff

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it became clear there is an urgent need to strengthen the health and wellbeing support for our staff, to take account of demands being placed on you, both in terms of the intensity of the work for some and the uncertainty, stress and anxiety for the whole workforce.

The aim is to ambition support our staff across the two systems in managing their own health and wellbeing more proactively by identifying health, behavioural and lifestyle challenges and providing support and expertise to address them.

We would greatly appreciate your input to inform the development of the platform and ensure it reflects your needs as a member of our team.

You can give your input by following this link: https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/HWESNEESWCS5/

This is your opportunity to have your say in the development of a digital platform to support you and we would encourage everyone to take part in this consultation before Wednesday 30 June.

We greatly appreciate your support!

Hertfordshire County Council Public Health Team