12 November 2020

The CNWL Board has appointed Paul Streets as its staff wellbeing Guardian.

Staff Wellbeing is top of the agenda, particularly during Covid-19, where staff have continued to work compassionately in very challenging times.

CNWL has an extensive wellbeing programme – offering a very comprehensive Occupational Health Service, counselling and therapy, discounts for staff, as well as social activities from yoga and choirs to a Ukulele band! – see here for more information and also self care tree for staff,

Charlotte Bailey, Director of Organisational Development and People said, “Paul is great in this space and he will help us consider what we’re offering and how successful it is. We’re launching a revised health and wellbeing strategy shortly and a new staff charter (what staff at CNWL can expect from each other)  is not far behind!"

The role is an additional lever to keep this issue at the forefront of the Trust’s thinking about staff and keeping CNWL a great place to work.

Board Principles supported by the wellbeing guardian

There are nine Board principles that are supported by the wellbeing guardians, that cover:

  • the impact of work on NHS staff and learners
  • support available if exposed to distressing events both individual and teams
  • promotion of wellbeing conversation from induction forward for NHS staff and learners
  • the availability of OHS and EAP support on a self-referral basis for NHS staff and learners
  • in the event of death by suicide for any member of staff or a learner, independent examinations with findings reported through the board to the wellbeing guardian
  • protection of cultural and spiritual needs of staff and those learning, equitable and appropriate wellbeing support for all ethnicities, adjustments for the nine groups protected under The Equality Act 2010 (including consideration for how intersectionality may impact wellbeing)
  • assurance that the organisation is working with system leaders and regulators to give equal weight to wellbeing in organisational performance assessment.

About Paul

Paul is Chief Executive of the Lloyd’s Bank Foundation, an independent charity funded by Lloyds Bank, after a career in the voluntary and public sector and work in International development (Sight Savers), Human Rights (Amnesty International), professional and service regulation and health and social care. He was Chief Executive of Diabetes UK; the Health Development Agency and the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. Immediately prior to the Foundation he worked as a Senior Civil Servant in the Department of Health heading up Public and Patient Engagement and Experience. In 2003 he was appointed an OBE for services to people with diabetes. Paul has three children and lives in East Sussex, but hails from North Yorkshire.

A new psychological therapy service is available to support health and care workers working in any of the eight boroughs across North West London.

The ‘Keeping Well’ service is designed to help all staff working in the NHS, residential homes and care facilities through any mental health challenges they are facing during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and beyond.

The service is designed to provide rapid access to support in a variety of ways, including a ‘live-chat’ where health and care workers can, in confidence, talk to expert clinicians about any personal or professional challenges that are impacting on their stress, anxiety or mood. This could be new mental health symptoms or a worsening of pre-existing difficulties.

To access the service:

The Keeping Well service provides wellbeing and psychological support to:

  • All NHS staff in North West London (including non-clinical)
  • All staff in care/residential homes in North West London
  • All London Ambulance Service staff

The ‘Keeping Well’ service is a partnership between Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and West London NHS Trust.