Staff must be referred by their Manager, another Band 7 senior (or above), the Medico-Legal Manager, Occupational Health, HR or Staff Side using the referral forms below.
For guidence on creating Wellness Action Plans to support yours or your team's mental health at work, click below and register with MIND:
Call ext. 63692
To view and download HELP's information leaflets on various issues, click here
The Health Employee Learning and Psychotherapy (HELP) service provides staff with confidential support, counselling and psychotherapy for a range of issues. Sometimes work related- from stress management to relational issues, employment difficulties or following critical/traumatic events, to personal issues that may be affecting the individual. HELP also provides specialist EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) trauma therapy for staff who have had stressful or traumatic experiences.
The Vivup Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) team are there to listen and support with any and all personal issues from day to day challenges at home, to mounting pressures in the workplace. The team of mental health support specialists – led by clinicians with over 45 years of experience – can offer help and advice as well as differing levels of support to employees, including a 24/7/365 confidential telephone helpline, face to face counselling, online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workbooks and additional support and training services
Vivup EAP Helpline
Please feel welcome to get in touch with the Connections Team to arrange a telephone or face to face appointment. Appointments are available:
Tuesdays to Fridays 10:00 - 14:00
Contact:
or call ext. 67452 or 64254
We are here to provide an impartial and confidential point of contact for you to discuss concerns that may be affecting you at work.
The Connections Team will listen to your concerns and help you to find the right advice, information or help that you might need. Where appropriate, we will also put you in touch with the other support services available within the Trust
If you need help, support or guidance then contact the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, Caroline Owens:
or call 07387259307 or ext. 62870
The Freedom to Speak Up Guardian is here to give you support and advice if you are worried about something you think may affect the quality or safety of patient care or is a risk to our Trust. You will get advice on how to raise your concern effectively and guidance for how our policy and process works for raising concerns.
You can talk with Caroline Owens in confidence, she is able to provide personal support through the process if you encounter difficulties with speaking up about patient safety, care and risk.
Freedom To Speak Up
Call the ER Advice line on ext. 67611
Mondays to Fridays
9:00 - 17:00
or email:
bsuh.employee.relations@nhs.net
and they will respond within 48 hours.
You can find all Trust Human Resources Policies on the Staff Info-net:
Sometimes it can be difficult to make sense of all the policies, or knowing where you stand as a manager or employee within the trust.
Our team of skilled staff can help with your employee relations or policy related queries.
We offer support, and signposting to Trust services and also run a range of other social, community and development activities. If you’d like to know more, need support or advice, or would like to get involved, contact: bsuh.lgbtq@nhs.net
or visit the LGBTQ+ Network pages on the BSUH website:
Our LGBTQ+ Network is a volunteer-run group of LGBTQ+ staff and volunteers (plus allies).
The Network runs a wide range of social events throughout the year and members often get involved with staff consultations and community events such as Pride. We’re here to support LGBTQ+ staff, volunteers and our allies, to help BSUH be an inclusive ‘employer of choice’, to engage with local LGBTQ+ communities, and to provide excellent, non-discriminatory care for our LGBTQ+ patients and service users. Check out the LGBTQ+ activities and groups on the Physical Wellbeing page.
Contact:
Barbara Harris - Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
barbara.harris7@nhs.net
or call ext. 67251
Simon Anjoyeb - Deputy Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Service Improvement)
simon.anjoyeb@nhs.net
or call ext. 64135
Olivia King - Equality and
Inclusion Advisor
olivia.king6@nhs.net
or call ext. 64685
Visit the Equality Hub for more information:
The Inclusion team are committed to equality and diversity for our staff and patients. This means that we aim to create a fairer society, that is equally accessible to all, while recognising and valuing difference in its broadest sense. By working closely with community groups and Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group we are continuously looking at ways we can improve our services to meet the needs of the local community. We believe that any form of discrimination whether it is based on age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith or religion is unacceptable and will be dealt with swift and appropriate action.
If you would like to attend a Disabled Staff Network meeting, contact the Network Lead, Marcelle:
bsuh.DisabilityNetwork@nhs.net
Meetings take place each month
via Microsoft Teams.
The BSUH Disabled Staff Network is for all members of staff at the Trust who define themselves as having a disability whether that be hidden or not. The Network holds regular group meetings as a way of supporting BSUH aims and responsibilities. These meetings aim to provide staff with a safe space to discuss common issues or concerns in relation to disability in the workplace; an opportunity to share their experiences and any resources or information that have helped them; an opportunity to meet and collaborate with others to offer ideas on what services the Trust could provide to staff with disabilities; and an opportunity to feed any suggestions to the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team for consideration.
The carer’s passport can be completed by any staff member who has caring responsibilities which they believe could have an impact on their ability to work currently or at some point in the future. All information will remain confidential between the manager and the staff member and not shared unless prior agreement is sort from the staff member. This is designed to be a ‘live’ document to be reviewed every year and/or in response to any changes in the nature or impact of the caring responsibilities
The Trust recognises the diverse nature of caring responsibilities within its workforce. The purpose of this passport is to enable staff with caring responsibilities and their managers to hold supportive and open conversations to discuss and document the flexibilities needed to support combining caring and work. These conversations involve balancing the needs of the staff members with the needs of the department, within existing BSUH policies. The aim is to minimise the need to re-negotiate these flexibilities every time a staff member moves post, moves between departments or is assigned a new manager.
Colleagues as Carers was set up to support BSUH staff that have unpaid caring responsibilities. They hold monthly meetings with information and support available on the caring role and aim to provide staff with a safe, non-judgemental and understanding environment to share their experiences with like-minded people and explore the work-life balance.
Our advisor is based at RSCH and works Monday to Friday. To refer someone or to get more information contact: HealthIDVA@riseuk.org.uk
or call ext 4266.
Click below for further resources:
Domestic Abuse is an incident or pattern of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, or violence or abuse from a partner, ex-partner or family member (including in-laws). Employees who experience abuse should be supported regardless of gender and the type of abuse. The workplace can be a lifeline for survivors of domestic abuse as it offers an opportunity to seek help. In aid of this, BSUH have a specialist Health Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (HIDVA) working with the Trust, in partnership with RISE and the CCG. They offer one-to-one support to patients and staff who have experienced/ are experiencing domestic abuse and carry out risk-assessments, implement safety plans and signpost to the other services available that support survivors of domestic abuse.
Domestic Violence Advisor
The Well is a health and wellbeing, social networking and support hub for doctors in training in Brighton and Mid Sussex. The Well is there to remind you that if times get tough and you need help you are never on your own. There is always support available, to reach out, have a look at the links on the left.
To request a
Shwartz Round
for your ward
or department,
contact Carrie Weller:
Schwartz Rounds are there to provide a forum for hospital staff from all backgrounds to come together to talk about the emotional and social challenges of caring for patients. The aim is to offer staff a safe environment in which to share their stories and offer support to one another. Evidence shows that staff who attend these, feel less stressed and isolated with increased
insight and appreciation for each other’s roles.
Visit the website below for details of over 150 branches, Events and Activities:
You can also call the free membership team number on
0800 9151455 or you can contact the secretary of your local
branch, Ann Jones: annecjones@tiscali.co.uk
The NHS Retirement Fellowship is the organisation for retired NHS and Social Care staff, providing a bridge between life in employment and new opportunities in retirement. Members can enjoy a range of activities and interests meeting former colleagues, making new friends and participating in a variety of events. Walking, golf, photography and sightseeing are just some of the activities enjoyed, and members benefit from various discounts including cruises, holidays and annual worldwide travel, home and car insurance.
The Chaplains are always happy to talk and are available to speak individually or signpost staff to other services or agencies.
They can be contacted:
at RSCH on ext. 4122
at PRH on ext. 8232
Royal Sussex County Hospital:
Chapel - Open 24/7
Mondays to fridays - 9:00 - Morning Prayers
Sundays - 10:00 - Morning Service
Muslim Prayer Room - Open 24/7
Muslim Prayers are held in The Oasis in the Children’s Hospital
Princess Royal Hospital:
Chapel - Open 24/7
Muslim Prayer Room - Open 24/7
Spiritual refers to whatever animates us and gives our lives meaning which may or may not include a belief in God or gods. Spiritual care is very much part of our well-being and the BSUH chaplains are experienced in helping and supporting people in a variety of ways. Importantly the Chaplaincy team is available and willing to advise, support and assist people of no particular religious faith or those with no links to any particular tradition. The Chaplains are a team of full-time and part-time staff who represent the major faiths and denominations and if needed they will be able to find a contact for most religions, faiths, and beliefs.
Spiritual Care
Onward Arts have set up a blog is part of a programme of arts for staff across BSUH. It is an online platform for staff to share creative work in any form, around the theme of emotional touchstones. As well as show-casing the range of work, the blog will hopefully contribute to a sense of creative community across the hospital.
If you would like further details, contact Erin.Burns@nhs.net or Alistair.Jenkins@nhs.net
Onward Arts seeks to improve the experience of patients, visitors and staff through the use of art, creating a healing hospital environment for all. They are passionate about arts in health and advocate the value of integrating the arts into the culture of the Trust by delivering high quality, patient-centred, arts projects in partnership with the communities they serve.
A wide range of wellbeing apps are now offering free subscriptions to all NHS staff. These provide support and resources for a number of things like sleep and anxiety, and are all designed to help to improve your mental health. Click on any of the buttons to the left to find out more and to sign up, or visit our COVID-19 Discounts & Support page to read more about what each of them are offering.
Wellbeing Apps
BSUH are now Partnered with Vivup to offer staff even more benefits. Click on the link to sign up and get access to information and services to help improve
your mental wellbeing, such as:
Self Help CBT Workbooks
The MyMindPal™ App
Domestic Abuse Support
Relationship Advice
To become a member of BSUH Library, register online today and collect your library card
when you visit
Explore their full range via their website: www.bsuh.nhs.uk/library
An NHS OpenAthens password is required to access electronic resources. You can register for this here: openathens.nice.org.uk
To find out further information, contact bsuh.library@nhs.net
BSUH Library have a huge selection of rich resources to support staff's mental wellbeing and resilience and have put together a book collection based on just this. To view this collection click the link below and click on any of the covers for more information.
Here you can also find journals, evidence searches, web links and other resources
BSUH Library