05.03.16
NHS to offer trusts £600m incentive to promote staff health
NHS staff lifestyles are to be made healthier with a new £600m incentive fund for options including better health support, healthier eating and winter flu vaccines.
From April, NHS trusts will be able to earn their share of a national incentive fund by following steps such as providing staff access to physical activity, physiotherapy and mental health support.
Also trusts are being encouraged to remove adverts, price promotions and checkout displays of junk food; submit information on their current food options in preparation for the NHS 'sugar tax'; and increase staff uptake of the winter flu vaccine, with an increase target from 50% to 75%.
Poor staff health affects patient care, with the most recent NHS staff survey finding that 63% of staff reported coming to work despite feeling too unwell to perform their duties.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “As the largest employer in Europe, the NHS needs to practice what it preaches by offering better support for the health and wellbeing of our own 1.3 million staff.
“A good place to start is by tackling the sources of staff sickness absence including mental health and musculoskeletal injuries, while doing our bit to end the nation's obesity epidemic by ditching junk food and sugary drinks in place of tasty, healthy and affordable alternatives.
“If we can do this well, we hope that more parts of the public and private sector will see the sense of it and also take the plunge.”
At last year’s NHS Expo, Stevens outlined a £5m initiative to improve health and wellbeing. This included NHS staff in England getting more access to physiotherapy, mental health therapies and healthier food.
Last month, the Royal Voluntary Service announced an initiative to provide healthier eating options in hospitals after conducting research which showed that doctors and nurses consume an average of just two portions of fruit and vegetables and half a litre of water a day.
Janet Davies, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Too often in the past, the NHS has failed to take care of its staff in the same excellent way it takes care of patients.
“This new focus and financial investment is positive because it recognises that improving staff health can deliver better care for patients.
“There are many work-related factors which mean hard working healthcare staff often find it difficult to look after their own health so it’s right that employers should be taking the responsibility for supporting staff to make healthier choices.
“This initiative must be accompanied by improved access to flexible working and a concerted effort to reduce the stress experienced when staff cannot properly care for patients because of insufficient staffing levels.”