Over 100 delegates attend AHSN NENC’s first regional Health and Wellbeing Symposium

The AHSN NENC’s first regional Health and Wellbeing Symposium attracted more than 100 delegates to The Durham Centre.

The recent event welcomed specialists from across the region to discuss the latest approaches to health and wellbeing support for healthcare staff. It is the first event of its kind hosted by the Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing team at the AHSN NENC.

The symposium brought together health and wellbeing professionals, to learn and share best practice across the health and wellbeing framework, as well as exploring opportunities for collaboration with NHS Trusts and organisations from across the region.

It was held at a time when the healthcare profession reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and the asks and expectations placed on NHS staff. Every staff member is affected by the priority of service recovery and there’s a growing need to empower staff to proactively access occupational health and wellbeing services.

During the event, delegates heard from national experts in the field, including Dr Steve Boorman CBE, National Occupational Health Expert, Author of the 2009 Boorman Review and Chair of the Council for Work and Health NHSE/I; Dr Adam Turner, Improving Health and Wellbeing Lead at NHS England and Improvement; and Rhiannan Rubin, Head of Wellbeing, at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership.

Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing Programme Director, Gary Wright, said: “It was fantastic to welcome so many health and wellbeing specialists from around the region together at the event. There was a real buzz in the room and it’s been great to receive such positive feedback.

“The health and wellness of the NHS workforce is vital and we wanted to create a space for people to get together, share best practice, and discuss what the occupational health and wellbeing services of the future will look like.

“We’re delighted to have welcomed some of the country’s leading experts in health and wellbeing to the event to share the national context and work. The calibre of work in this area is amazing. We hope everyone came away feeling enthused and with greater insight into the health and wellbeing framework, links to the NHS people plan, new contacts and an understanding of the Growing OH and Wellbeing programme. We’d like to thank everyone who came along – and we’re already looking forward to the next one!”

Keynote speaker Dr Adam Turner, Improving Health and Wellbeing Lead at NHS England and Improvement, commented: “Improving the health and wellbeing of our healthcare people is vital, as caring for our healthcare people enables them to pass that care onto our patients and service users.”

As well as expert talks, attendees had the opportunity to network, share their feedback, celebrate successes and ask questions about the future of occupational health and wellbeing services in the region.

The Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing North East North Cumbria programme aligns to the ambitions of NHS People Plan, specifically the commitments of psychological support and treatment, supporting people through sickness.

The implementation of a ‘wellness culture’ is being piloted in four Foundation Trusts in the central and south of the region – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Find out more about the Growing OH and Wellbeing pilot here.