A new £1.5m centre dedicated to improving the working lives of NHS staff and private sector workers across the region has opened its doors.
The Health, Work and Well-being Centre at University Hospital Aintree is the only one of its kind in the North West.
It will provide services to around 20,000 NHS staff, including the 4,800 staff employed by the Aintree Trust itself, as well as the broader NHS community, small businesses, and university and college students.
The centre is one of 11 being built nationally with funding from NHS Plus, a Department of Health project dedicated to improving the quality and quantity of occupational health services.
Dr Steve Boorman, lead reviewer of the independent NHS Health and Welfare Review, performed the official opening of the centre.
His report on the subject encouraged employers to take a lead in looking after the health and well-being of staff through promoting exercise, tackling obesity, smoking and excessive drinking, and improving mental health.
Speaking at the opening of the new Aintree centre, Dr Boorman said: “It is fantastic for me to see such a tangible symbol of the importance given to the health and well-being of staff here at Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and also of the local community.
“My review found that organisations like Aintree Hospital that invest in the health and well-being of staff not only perform better on financial matters but importantly they get better patient outcomes, which is what the NHS is all about. ”
The centre, run by Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is part of a building programme by the Trust including the new £30m Elective Care Centre, £8m multi-storey car park and £7m expansion of radiology services.
Trust chief executive James Birrell said: “We are pleased to have been chosen by NHS Plus as one of 11 centres across the country. As well as helping improve the lives of NHS staff, the centre offers greater capacity for the delivery of core services to local small and medium-sized enterprises.
“We have a good track record of winning new business - the increase in new contracts and the increased interest in the facilities available are good indicators that this concept will work.”
The Trust’s HR director Margaret Jackson said: “The feedback from Trust staff already has been extremely positive as it has been from external clients and managers visiting the department.”
The new premises, combined with the investment in additional staff by Aintree, has enabled the provision of a healthy living programme that is available to NHS staff, providing services such as aromatherapy, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, an Active Workforce Programme and podiatry.
Gillian Downes, the Trust’s occupational health manager, said: “From market research undertaken last year, the occupational health market share of the small businesses (SMEs) population is less than 2%, however recent interest in the service and the introduction of a mobile unit in 2010 suggest there is an opportunity for growth.”
Paul , Berkshire around 3 months ago