Our dedicated Health and Wellbeing Team are here to help you feel your best at work. The team is supported by volunteer staff ambassadors who are available to support their colleagues and contribute ideas to improve the offering for all staff.
All staff have access to a dedicated Health and Wellbeing microsite, which is packed with information to help colleagues stay fit and well whilst at work.
Our staff pastoral wellbeing practitioners are available to all Trust staff and offer a compassionate, confidential space to talk in person, by phone or on Microsoft Teams.
You can talk to them about anything, whether personal or work-related. The team also offer sessions for individuals and groups, including mindfulness and safe spaces to explore events that have impacted a team.
The Occupational Health team provides a confidential place to discuss any work-related health concerns.
Their work concentrates on the effects that your work may be having on your health, or the effects that a particular health problem is having on your ability to work.
We offer a range of in person and online wellbeing classes, including boxing, Pilates and Zumba, to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
You can also take advantage of discounted on-site massage therapy at our Kingston Hospital site.
Five a day – fruit and veg stall
As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting the importance of healthy eating, Five A-Day Greengrocers provides high quality fresh fruit and vegetables to staff, patients and visitors every Thursday, 7.30am-3pm, at the main entrance of Kingston Hospital.
Nutritional therapy clinic
Staff have free access to our Nutritional Therapy Clinic! Benefit from personalised nutritional advice through Goodwin Nutrition.
Registered therapist, Lauren, offers one-on-one consultations (in person, online, or by phone) to identify your unique health needs and build sustainable diet and lifestyle plans.
Whether you’re dealing with energy dips, digestive issues, hormonal imbalance, or just aiming to eat well, this service supports you every step of the way.
Meal planning service
Staff have free access to Five Dinners, a weekly meal planning service created by TV chef Theo Michaels.
Each week you’ll get five easy, healthy recipes plus one shopping list tailored to your preferences; perfect for saving time, reducing food waste, and cutting meal costs - all for free, exclusively for our staff.
Our dedicated staff wellbeing physiotherapist offers one to one appointments, which can be used to chat through anything from postual advice, exercise advice, health living, advice on MSK aches and pains, injury prevention, working out and more.
Staff also have access to online exercise classes and demonstrations to ensure you can access physical support when at home. There are a range of sessions which include focusing on exercises for back pain and for those whom sit at a desk for periods of time.
We offer confidential 1:1 Time to Talk sessions to reflect on anything you feel is affecting your wellbeing, including stress, anxiety, work-related issues, relationship difficulties or financial concerns.
For more in-depth support, you can self-refer to our staff counselling service for 6 free sessions of confidential, professional support from skilled therapists.
We have also partnered with an employee assistance programme provider to offer 24-hour phone support from trained counsellors for personal or work-related issues.
As well as counselling, you can also get advice about practical issues, including those linked to debt, benefits, housing, childcare, wills etc.
Kingston and Richmond staff have free access to our menopause nurse service offering individual consultations to help you understand and manage peri-menopause or menopause symptoms, covering everything from hot flushes and mood changes to confidence and wellbeing. Includes tailored follow-up support, fact sheets, and confidential summaries that can be shared with your GP and work.
You can self-refer at any time.
We also a menopause support group, with guest speakers each month, alongside menopause champions who offer support and signposting.
We always want you to feel able to raise concerns when you are at work. Being open and transparent helps us learn as an organisation, improve care and create a better working environment for colleagues.
It is extremely important that you feel able to make your voice heard if you have concerns.
Usually, your line manager will be your first point of call if there is an issue you want to raise, but if you don’t feel you can speak up to them you can contact our Freedom to Speak Up service who will be able to offer impartial guidance and support to any member of staff.
All colleagues are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the free annual staff flu vaccination, available in clinics and through community pharmacies each autumn. It's a vital way to protect ourselves and vulnerable patients and family members.
The vaccine is offered to all staff, clinical and non-clinical, across the Trust.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is very important. If you become unwell, our sick pay provisions are amongst the most generous in the UK.
All members of staff join the sick pay scheme immediately from the date of their appointment. When they are absent due to sickness their salary will be made up of occupational sick pay and statutory sick pay (SSP).
See the Managing Attendance and Sickness Absence policy on the Trust intranet.
