RL Cares for NHS programme shortlisted for prestigious award

A health and mental wellbeing programme delivered by Rugby League Cares to NHS staff in the North West has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

‘RL Cares for the NHS’ has supported more than 3,200 NHS workers in Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since its launch in the summer of 2021 and has made a dramatic impact on the health and happiness of attendees.

The success of the programme has seen it nominated for the Browne Jacobson Award for Excellence in Employee Engagement, which is awarded to organisations that ‘have significantly improved patient care and has happier, more motivated and more productive workforce through improved staff engagement.’

Utilising many of the learnings from our celebrated Offload initiative, RL Cares for the NHS has involved RL Cares staff delivering wellbeing interventions, mental fitness sessions and one-to-one support to NHS staff.

The programme was launched in response to the enormous pressures NHS staff faced as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim of breaking down barriers around mental wellbeing, especially in regard to areas of the NHS workforce that are traditionally difficult to reach, such as Estates and Facilities staff.

The delivery of ‘RL Cares for NHS’ has evolved since its launch and now sees one-to-one support for NHS staff returning to work from a period of long-term absence, keeping them well and in work, and the introduction of physical wellbeing programmes such a walking touch rugby.

The programme has been led by RL Cares’s NHS Health and Wellbeing Programme Manager Paul Wood, the former Warrington Wolves and Great Britain prop, supported by team-mates Bob Beswick, Sam Laird, Amy Hardcastle, Damian Gibson and Cory Aston.

RL Cares Head of Community Emma Goldsmith said: “It is fantastic that the work of our wellbeing team has been recognised by the nomination for the Browne Jacobson Award.

“Woody, Bob and Sam are making such a big difference to the lives of staff at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, and RL Cares is proud and privileged to play our part in supporting out NHS heroes.”

Feedback from attendees has been emphatically positive with 78 per cent of NHS saying they found each session useful.  Typical comments from participants include:

• * “The atmosphere within our department has drastically changed over the past 12 months due to these sessions;”
• * ‘”I was going through a tough time with a breakup and if it wasn’t for these sessions then I’m not sure I’d have been able to cope;”
• * “I love the simplicity of the sessions and the way the information is put across, I’ve made a few small changes to my routine and it’s definitely helped;”
• * “These 1-1 sessions have really helped a lot of staff! We are seeing more people come forward to say they are struggling and they are seeking further help;”
• * “After the delivery of Offload, we’ve seen a massive boost in relationships between staff and productivity within the warehouse;”
• * “These sessions are really working in our department, staff are certainly engaging more with each other and we are far more positive;”
• * “I was thinking of leaving my job before this session, but I have a lot to be grateful for, thank you for pointing that out.”

The winner of the Browne Jacobson Award will be announced at the HPMA Excellence in People Awards dinner at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds on Tuesday September 19.