HOSPITAL bosses in Blackburn have scooped a rare award for promoting staff health.
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust is one of just 15 organisations in the UK to achieve the top level award for its Health at Work strategy.
During a visit to the trust, assessors from the Health Education Authority were impressed with the outstanding facilities and services available to employees, including the staff fitness centre and the back care programme.
Health at Work is a long-term programme within the trust which benefits patients due to the high levels of staff attendance, productivity and morale.
Other Health at Work initiatives include:
Personal lifestyle/ stress assessments
Healthy eating options in the staff restaurants
Introduction of a workplace smoking policy and smoking cessation programme
A staff counselling service
A mental health and well-being policy supported by briefings, workshops and guidance for managers and staff
Annual surveys of staff satisfaction
Introduction of an attendance management strategy which has reduced sickness absence over four years
The trust's chief executive, John Thomas, said: "I am extremely pleased that the trust has achieved this top-level award from the Health Education Authority.
"Our staff are the trust's most valuable resource and the promotion of their good health and fitness is essential to the delivery of a high quality service for patients."
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