Supporting our staff

Supporting our staff

Retaining and developing our people so that they have the right skills to provide high quality care and work with pride lies at the heart of our People and Culture strategy.

We prioritise staff experience to ensure we have a ‘just, learning, and innovative culture where staff can feel respected, valued, included and well at work.’

We are committed to developing a culture that enables our people to bring the best version of themselves to work and bring their ‘whole self’ to work - which means embracing your authenticity and bringing all components of what makes ‘you’.

This section sets out the support we will provide you with to enable you to be your best at work.

Health and Wellbeing

As a Trust we are committed to enabling a sustainable culture of positive health and wellbeing and preventative interventions for all staff. Our Health and Wellbeing support takes into account the needs of our diverse workforce and focuses on supporting staff to bring their whole selves to work.

Our Health and Wellbeing pinwheel offers dedicated health and wellbeing information and resources for all staff including advice on:

• Equality, Diversity and inclusion
  
• Financial support and advice
  
• Physical wellbeing
  
• Psychological wellbeing
  
• Social wellbeing

Flexible Working

We recognise that our colleagues need to balance home and work responsibilities and that this will help to enhance their health and wellbeing. We are proud to have achieved Timewise Flexible Working accreditation.

This means that we will work with all staff to explore flexible ways of working within their work area and role and consider how we can support colleagues to “bring their whole self to work”.

We recognise that having appropriate working arrangements which are adaptable and flexible both to you and the Trust will ensure that we will continue to attract and retain the colleagues we need to deliver excellent patient care for the future.

To support a positive culture of flexible working, we encourage open conversations about flexible working.

All staff have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.

Family Leave Policy

We are incredibly proud to be one of the first trusts to develop our family leave policy to offer enhanced pay and time off for families experiencing fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, and early childbirth.

These changes have been made to ensure we can support our colleagues to have the time and space they need with their family to process, grieve and begin to heal at a time when they need it most.

In recognition of the changes to our policy we have been awarded the ‘Employer with Heart’ charter from the Smallest Things. We have also partnered with SANDS to provide support, information, advice and guidance to our colleagues and their managers/teams.

For further information read our press release here.

Please watch our video below on 'Employer with Heart'.

Menopause Workplace Pledge

It is with great pride that Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, which means we are committed to:

• Recognising that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and that our staff need support
  
• Talking openly, positively and respectfully about the Menopause
  
• Actively supporting and informing employees affected by the menopause

 Please watch our video on flexible working policy.

Please watch our video on 'Employer with Heart'.

Staff Benefits and Support

Our staff can take advantage of a wide range of benefits, including generous leave allowances, full pensions, and flexible working options.

Generous annual leave
27 days plus general public holidays on appointment, rising to 29 days after 5 years' service and 33 days after 10 years’ service.

Valuing our Staff 
Staff Recognition Awards and Annual long service awards celebrating 25 and 40 years’ service.

Childcare Provision
On-site nurseries at our Worcester and Redditch hospital sites for children under 5, with a holiday club for children under 8.

NHS Pension Scheme
Direct employees between the ages of 16 and 75 are eligible to join the NHS pension scheme, in addition to your contributions the Trust also contribute the equivalent of 14% of your pensionable pay towards your scheme benefits. NHS Pension Scheme 

Car leasing salary sacrifice scheme

Staff Discount codes
There are various schemes open to NHS workers through Health Service Discounts, Blue Light, and NHS discount offers.

Cycle to work scheme

Carers' Support

Occupational Health Service
Our experienced and friendly Occupational Health and Wellbeing team aims to promote and maintain the health of all staff, and prevent ill health arising out of, or in connection with work.

Commitment to Equality and Diversity
We support and encourage staff to join our staff networks. We also offer an inclusive recruitment scheme which offers a guaranteed interview for all Band 8a and above roles for anyone who meets the essential criteria in the person specification and declares they have a protected characteristic and wants to be considered for a guaranteed interview. 

Communications
Access to a free Staff App providing Trust information, advice and guidance.  An opportunity to connect with our award winning staff Facebook group.

Freedom to speak up Guardian
Supporting and encouraging colleagues to ‘speak up’ if they have concerns about safety, quality and issues that may jeopardise patient or staff safety.

4ward Advocates
At the heart of our 4ward journey are our 4ward advocates. These are colleagues across our Trust who have already made a commitment to positively demonstrate our 4ward behaviours in their day to day work and support others to do so.