Mental Health, Health & Wellbeing, Retention, Talent, Equality Diversity Inclusion and Belonging
World Menopause Day Event Lift the Conversation
On 24th October 2024, we celebrated world menopause month and International Day of Menopause at our event ‘Meno-Connect: Lift the conversation’ at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Sheffield. 135 Menopause advocates and champions colleagues attended from across 50 health and care sectors within South Yorkshire. There were market stalls, ‘mini conversations’ where menopause advocates shared their menopause initiatives at their organisations, we had expert speakers, ran quizzes and a raffle. The day was also a good opportunity for networking. A new initiative was launched at the event called ‘bright ideas’ where menopause advocates could submit an idea for a menopause initiative and receive a small amount of funding to support its development. Barnsley NHS FT, Manor and castle development trust and Sheffield African and Caribbean Mental Health Association (SACMHA) were awarded funding.
Celebration of national Self-Care week - We celebrated national self-care week from 18th – 24th November through delivery of various sessions for colleagues including an online cooking session by Shirley Gibson for a ‘fakeaway’ health curry, a managing burnout through self-care webinar, and specifically for SYICB colleagues – a mindfulness session and promotion of a weekly Pilates class.
Sleep Charity event - On the 4th of December we were invited by the Sleep charity to attend an event in the House of commons to introduce the sleep charter campaign to consider how we can tackle fatigue and sleep deprivation in the workplace and create a staff sleep strategy. We heard from speakers that are leading in areas of industry such as construction, Rail and Retail and how sleep deprivation has affected their own organisation workforce. We also heard from experts such as Professor Clair Anderson from the University of Birmingham and Steve Cole from the Royal society for the prevention of accidents informing us that more research is required as the impact of fatigue is not well understood. We continue to deliver webinars by the Sleep School as part of our Sleep Wellbeing offer with well over 390 colleagues attending two webinars.
Visit from NHSE to South Yorkshire People Promise Exemplar Sites - On the second of October we had a visit from NHSE colleagues to include Professor Mark Radford the National Director of Education and LTWP Delivery & Deputy Chief nursing officer and Laura Flatman the National Programme lead attended on behalf of the National team and Clive Spencer Associate Director WTE Directorate NEY and Mathew James Head of OD/People experience - NEY. For the visit we brought together all three
People Promise Exemplar (PPE) Sites from Barnsley FT, Sheffield Children's hospital FT (SCH) and Rotherham, Doncaster, and South Humber FT (RDaSH). Thanks goes to RDaSH for hosting the visit at Tickhill Road Hospital with special thanks to Lisa Earnshaw and Leanne Young for helping organise the event. We presented the progress of the program so far with 3 amazing presentations from the PPE Managers, Sarah Newbold, Leanne Young and Lexie Baron.
Staff Network: ‘Connect and Empower’ – Members of South Yorkshire ICS Staff Networks including Chairs and sponsors met to share learning, identify common problems, and improve connectivity between networks at this half-day event on the morning of the 25th November 2024. We heard learning moments from some of our network chairs, and workshopped the experiences had by networks for Race Equity, LGBTQ+ people and Disability. Attendees have been invited to help cocreate the SY Staff Network Handbook and bi-annual meetings have been set up to keep network Chairs connected system-wide.
Interview series - Launched the ‘Tell me your career story’ interview series. The interviews highlight some of our senior leaders and their journey navigating career highs and lows. Promoting career focused conversations in an everyday workplace environment. Inspiring and nurturing emerging talent.
South Yorkshire Anti-Racist Assembly met for the first time to celebrate the SY ICS Trusts group commitment to anti-racism and to consult with senior leadership and colleagues across the Trusts, Primary Care and the VCSE around how we take this ambition forward in a meaningful way that does justice to those affected by individual and systemic racism in our health and care system. We heard updates on the work started by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber FT and Sheffield Health and Social Care FT after an opening of strong commitment by Gavin Boyle, CEO of the SY ICB. Powerful stories and information was shared and we are committed to holding one another to account on our journey to being an anti-racist ICS.
Neurodiversity in the workplace programme- In the last few months we have been arranging webinars open to colleagues particularly line managers across all sectors in SY. Well over 1200 colleagues attended 4 webinars. They were so well received that we have been offered funding from the Regional Leadership team to commission a whole series of sessions which we are opening across to all colleagues in NEY region.
The final 5th Suicide First Aid Course was delivered in December with well over 80 colleagues open primarily to Mental Health First Aiders.
School of Artisan Best food forward
On the 1st of November, 16 members of the People hub attended the school of artisans Best Food Forward program. An amazing day of education learning about nutrition and how a balanced diet can be an allied to help patents recover faster and live a healthier life. We had to put this Knowledge into practice by cooking two balanced meals with a food parcel that you receive from a food bank.
