A new service designed to provide earlier, practical support to NHS Lanarkshire staff when health or wider life pressures are affecting their ability to work is set to launch this autumn.
Working Well will initially support staff across University Hospital Hairmyres, University Hospital Monklands and University Hospital Wishaw, helping people who are at work but finding things difficult, as well as those who are already absent and need support to return to work.
The new service will provide staff with access to a dedicated Working Well practitioner who can help them understand what is affecting them, agree practical steps and coordinate the support they may need.
This could include support where someone is experiencing physical or mental health difficulties, stress, feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, financial pressures, caring responsibilities or a combination of different circumstances.
Amanda Gwynne, Return to Work Service Manager, Salus Occupational Health, said: “Working Well is about getting in earlier. We want to support people who are still at work but finding things difficult, as well as those who are already absent and may benefit from help to return sooner.
“There can be lots of different things affecting someone’s ability to stay well at work. It might be their physical or mental health, feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, financial worries or wider pressures in their life. Working Well gives us the opportunity to look at the whole picture and help the individual work through what is affecting them.”
Unlike a traditional signposting service, Working Well practitioners will remain involved with staff, helping them develop an individual action plan, reviewing their progress and coordinating support where appropriate.
Amanda added: “This isn’t about simply telling someone where they can go for help and leaving them to get on with it. The practitioner will stay involved, work with the staff member to understand what is getting in the way, agree practical actions and follow up with them.
“It’s about helping people navigate that journey and making sure they feel supported as they take those next steps.”
Staff will be able to access Working Well through a number of routes, including self-referral, manager referral and referral from Occupational Health, with the team also linking closely with existing staff health and wellbeing services.
The Working Well practitioners will also have a visible presence across the acute hospital sites as the service becomes established.
