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Click here to submit your monthly showcases

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National Self Care Week 13 - 19 November 2023 Mind & Body What is National Self Care Week? Self Care Week is an annual national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self care across communities, families and generations. The theme for 2023 is "Mind & Body" The Self Care Forum has been organising ...

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Am I Stressed, Overwhelmed or Burnt Out? A Self-Assessment Toolkit

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A free toolkit to help you differentiate between being stressed, overwhelmed or burnt out, and ultimately help you reverse your slide down the stress curve.

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The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age as oestrogen levels decline. Research shows that 10 per cent of women leave their jobs, and many more are reducing their hours or passing up promotions, because of their menopausal symptoms.

A survey from Acas has found that a third of employers (33 per cent) do not feel well equipped to support women going through the menopause.

If your organisation has any helpful resources on menopause and the workplace, please email us.

The NHS electronic staff record (ESR) team has worked with NHS England to develop a guide on recording menopause related sickness. The guidance includes step-by-step instructions on how to record menopause related absence to help HR colleagues and ESR users.

Nearly 60 per cent of people between the ages of 45 and 55 who are experiencing menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work. By recording accurately, organisations can gain a better understanding of the impact menopause is having on their colleagues and put in place the necessary support.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Menopause awareness eLearning - this 30-minute eLearning session outlines what the menopause is, common symptoms associated with it, and scenarios to help people better understand how they can support themselves and each other.

The Self Care Forum offers a self care aware fact sheet outlining key information on menopause and perimenopause.

Menopause Whilst Black is a podcast aimed at opening the conversation about diversity in the menopause.

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Information on how menopause can affect people at work and practical guidance for employers on how to improve workplace environments for them.

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NHS Health & Wellbeing Champions Training Modules

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NHS Health & Wellbeing Champions Training Modules

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https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/

NHS Health & Wellbeing Champions training

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Mind Mental Health - Staff Resources Hub

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Mind Mental Health - Staff Resources Hub

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Here, you’ll find a wealth of information, tools, and support to help you navigate life’s challenges. Mind have curated a collection of resources, tips, and advice based on expert guidance and real-life experiences.

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Work Well Webinars for General Practice Staff

It's time to put your wellbeing first! (Even when you're under pressure, time is short, and your colleagues are stressed too...)

Join these monthly online sessions to get practical strategies tailored for people in roles like yours to help you beat stress and prevent burnout.

You'll learn how to set boundaries to keep you happy and healthy, and support the people around you too.

What you'll get:

12 live and interactive wellbeing-booster webinars designed specifically for healthcare professionals in busy roles.

Topics include burnout, stress and overwhelm, dealing with anxiety, trauma, conflict, knowing your limits, and more!

Sessions are scheduled in lunchtime slots (12:30-13:15pm). Choose whether to join the workshop live, or catch up with the recording at a time that suits you.

When you sign up, you'll also receive weekly emails with their regular podcast and other resources to help you thrive at work.

Register here

When you register, you’ll also get access to recordings of the previous trainings and lots of other helpful resources.

If when you try to sign up you get a message 'this page is not available', this means that you've already got an account and need to login. Just click here to access your resources!

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National campaigns, awards and awareness days to help you plan activities for the year.

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Home - Coventry & Warwickshire Training Hub

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Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub supports the region’s primary care workforce with education, training and development opportunities

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Mental Health First Aid England NewsletterFebruary 2025

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Free guide to dealing with stress

Stress Explained

Resources and Guides

Personal Stress

Stress at work

Book a Free Business Stress Consultation

Book a Free Business Stress Consultation

The Stress Management Society is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping individuals and companies recognise and reduce stress. Since our inception in 2003, our dream has been to create a happier, healthier and more resilient world.

Please fill in your details to download our 30 Day Challenge
Please fill in your details to download our free guide to dealing with stress

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The Stress Management Society - From Distress to De-Stress

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Manage your stress! Test your stress levels with our Individual Stress Test or use our Stress Guide to manage stress.

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Wellbeing Wednesdays from Coventry & Warwickshire Training Hub:

The link to Wellbeing Wednesday is: Wellbeing Wednesday - Coventry & Warwickshire Training Hub (cwtraininghub.co.uk)

Visit the Health and Wellbeing page on the Training Hub website for more resources.

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You searched for Wellbeing Wednesday - Coventry & Warwickshire Training Hub

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Medical and Healthcare Training Hub Coventry and Warwickshire

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We support Men’s Sheds in the UK. Men’s Sheds are community workshops where men can create converse and connect.

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Peer sessions for staff and resources hub

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Here, you’ll find a wealth of information, tools, and support to help you navigate life’s challenges. Mind have curated a collection of resources, tips, and advice based on expert guidance and real-life experiences.

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This is the digital platform for government health improvement campaigns and resources, for you to use in your work to improve health outcomes in your area.

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Why you need vitamin D

To keep bones and muscles healthy, everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement in autumn and winter, when we cannot make vitamin D from sunlight.

And some people who are at risk of not getting enough vitamin D should take them all year round.

Just 10 micrograms a day is all you need - it's the same for kids and grown-ups.

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Take steps to improve your health. Lose weight, boost your mood, get active and quit smoking with Better Health. Try our free NHS tools and tips to get you started.

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If you are feeling stressed, anxious, low or can’t sleep, Every Mind Matters can help with expert advice, practical tips and personalised actions to help you.

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Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1. Connect with other people

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth

give you an opportunity to share positive experiences

provide emotional support and allow you to support others

There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:

2. Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

raising your self-esteem

helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them

causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood

Read about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and wellbeing

3. Learn new skills

Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem

helping you to build a sense of purpose

helping you to connect with others

Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

Some of the things you could try include:

4. Give to others

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:

creating positive feelings and a sense of reward

giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth

helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.

Some examples of the things you could try include:

saying thank you to someone for something they have done for you

asking friends, family or colleagues how they are and really listening to their answer

spending time with friends or relatives who need support or company

offering to help someone you know with DIY or a work project

volunteering in your community, such as helping at a school, hospital or care home

5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Read more about mindfulness, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.

Further information

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Read about 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

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"Yesterday for me was exactly the kind of 'circuit-breaker' I needed.
On reflection, your charity is exactly the tonic we need right now. It's unique, and that uniqueness is driven by the qualities in your team:
empathy, warmth and a spiritual awareness to do good."

- Steven, Yorkshire Dales participant, 2020

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Mind Over Mountains | Restoring Mental Health, Naturally

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We offer professional mental health support through therapeutic outdoor events; bringing together hill-walking, mindfulness and time with experienced coaches and counsellors in an unhurried, unpressured setting.

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Keeping yourself happy and healthy - Happy Healthy Lives

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Above is a selection of key dates covering the next two months.

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World Book Day is a celebration of reading that takes place in March every year. Over 100 countries are involved in the celebrations which include low or no-cost access to books, fun activities to explore the stories you're reading, and even a competition!

The UK World Book Day founder, Baroness Gail Rebuck, drew on her own struggles with education and learning when she was a child while she was creating the celebration, turning something that was hard to access into her passion.

World Book Day focuses on reading for pleasure, and our activities will explore the six elements that they recommend, helping you to enjoy the books you're diving into. The elements are:

Being read to regularly.

Having books at home and school.

Having a choice in what to read.

Finding time to read.

Having trusted help to find a book.

Making reading fun!

World Book Day 2024 Books

Reading together is a lovely family activity family and borrowing books from a library gives you free access to all kinds of reading materials.

Below is a link to join the RNIB Library, but first here are some suggestions for things to try while you're reading:

Pick a book to read together then find a comfortable space. Remember to check that the environment works for everyone: think about lighting and any external noise or other sensory distractions.

Read the story together, taking it in turns to read a line, paragraph or page.

Bring the story to life by adding sound effects or trying different voices for the characters. If you have them, use props to represent different aspects of the story.

When you've finished the story, ask each other questions to see how much of it you can remember - this can be made into a competition if that is something your family enjoys.

If you need the same book in different formats, here are some places to try:

The RNIB Library provides free audio and electronic books: RNIB Library > Home.

Clearvision Project produce large-print and braille resources: Clearvision Project.

Living Paintings have audio and tactile images: Books For Blind Children and Adults - Living Paintings.

Or, try Nosy Crow for audio-described books: Nosy Crow - Award-winning independent children's book publisher.

Imagine the characters, settings and ideas in the story coming alive in your mind - try some of these activities to bring them to life:

Do the characters dress in a particular way, have a certain hairstyle, accessories? Use clothes and items from your home to get into character and imagine how it feels to be them. You could even try out your new voice for the character too!

Where does the story take place? Gather plants and flowers to recreate outdoor settings. Make a mountain range by piling up cushions or use them to build tunnels to crawl through.

Try to recall scenes from the book and act them out in your own style. What did you remember and what did you miss? Did you learn anything new about the character when you were pretending to be them?

Don't forget to think about all the senses when recreating a scene or bringing a story to life. How does the story smell, feel, and sound? Bag Books provide some great sensory story ideas but you can make story sacks of your own to accompany any favourite tales.

Some traditional stories change with years of retelling. If you could rewrite the story you just read, what would you change?

You could try this game, which works best when played with a minimum of four people:

Copy the opening line from a story onto a piece of paper then put away the storybook.

Invite someone to add their own, made up, second line to the story, write it below the first line on the piece of paper then fold it, leaving only their line visible. This is then passed to the next person.

Keep writing the story one line and one person at a time until the paper is full.

Read the story out loud and see if you like it. When you get good at it, you could try taking the story in some crazy directions!

If a child is unable to read or write independently, you can ask someone to write for them, to take turns speaking with one person writing down the story as you go, or you could record your story instead.

Share your story on our Facebook group or let us know what books and stories your children enjoy: RNIB - Parents & Carers Of VI Children | Facebook.

Many websites explore reading in a child-friendly way. Here are some links to get you started:

The World Book Day website gives activities for families and schools all year round as well as listing all current and previous World Book Day titles: World Book Day

Paths to Literacy helps parents and educators to develop the reading skills of their child: Paths to Literacy

Guide Dogs' CustomEyes service recreates books in your preferred print format for the Recommended Retail Price: CustomEyes Books | Guide Dogs

RNIB World Book Day Creative Writing Competition for Children with Vision Impairment

Details

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is inviting submissions from children with vision impairment for a piece of creative writing (prose or poetry in any form or style is welcome), centred around the theme of "Adventure".

Taking the lead from RNIB's motto, 'See differently', we want to celebrate different ways of seeing, beholding, and sensing an adventure that you've been on or one that you can imagine.

No previous experience of creative writing is required - we are keen to receive submissions from as wide a field as possible. Applicants from traditionally marginalised groups are particularly welcome.

Rules

The competition is open to any child or young person between the ages of 5-12 years with a vision impairment in the UK.

The competition runs from 9am on 1 January 2024, to midnight 25 February 2024.

Send in an original piece of writing up to 500 words in a Word document, MP3 audio or MP4 video, via email.  Or hard copy braille posted to RNIB, The Grimaldi Building, 154a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JE.

The piece of writing must be based on the theme "Adventure".

Submissions must be in English.

The use of AI, such as ChatGPT is not permitted.

One submission per author: this will be the first entry emailed to us.

Email all entries with the subject of "WBD competition" to [email protected] .  Or if you are posting please address the entry to Lara Marshall.

The top three entries will be sent to award-winning author Michael Morpurgo for him to choose the final winner.

All entries submitted will be read and shortlisted by the RNIB library team.

Prizes

The winner will receive a signed set of ten of Michael Morpurgo's books, in their preferred format.

Some suggestions to inspire you, but please feel free to come up with your own ideas too:

Travelling somewhere new on holiday.

Having a crazy dream.

Encountering a strange individual.

Finding an interesting artefact.Going on a quest to find mysterious treasure.

Finding yourself lost in a place you've never been before.

Having to save a friend in peril.

We can't wait to read your submission and wish you the very best of luck!

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World Book Day is a celebration of reading that takes place in March. Over 100 countries are involved in the celebrations which include low-cost access to books

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Handbook

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Connecting with nature in the community

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Handbook - nature and wellbeing

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self help information guide

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Conversation guide

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information, support, practical tips

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For all your heart health questions, big or small. We're here to support you or your loved one with information on heart and circulatory disease you can trust.

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Food facts, recipes, practical tips

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Find information written by dietitians to help cut through the noise and conflicting information out there on food and nutrition.

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Shape your conversations with the wellness wheel

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Daily actions to help you find new ways of moving forward.

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March Newsletter (2025) - CWTH - Coventry & Warwickshire Training Hub

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Jump To: Key News CPD Funding – Don’t miss out! Government funding is available to support nurses and Allied Health Professionals (physio’s, OTs, Dieticians, podiatrists and paramedics) with £333 CPD during the 24/25 financial year. This funding ends 31st March 2025 with no news if available in 2025/26. All CPD bookings must be made by 31st March 2025 and any claims by…

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Working Well Mental Health Resources

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Here, you’ll find a wealth of information, tools, and support to help you navigate life’s challenges. Mind have curated a collection of resources, tips, and advice based on expert guidance and real-life experiences.

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The Omega Course

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NHS England » Handling difficult situations with compassion – e-learning programme

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In order to support our NHS colleagues to handle a range of difficult situations, NHS England is pleased to announce that an e-learning module of the award nominated ‘Handling difficult situations – Caring for yourself and others with compassion’ programme is now available to colleagues in frontline, patient facing roles. This e-learning can be accessed here: https://portal.e-lfh.org.uk/Component/Details/783143

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What is a wellbeing conversation?

The NHS People Plan 2020-21 sets out an ambition

"From September 2020, every member of the NHS should have a health and wellbeing conversation and develop a personalised plan. These conversations may fit within an appraisal, job plan or one-to-one line management discussion, and should be reviewed at least annually. As part of this conversation, line managers will be expected to discuss the individual's health and wellbeing, and any flexible working requirements, as well as equality, diversity and inclusion."
NHS People Plan 2020-2021
Vision for the wellbeing conversations

Health and wellbeing conversations are intended to be regular, supportive, coaching-style one to one conversations that focus on the wellbeing of our NHS people.

By encouraging organisations to embed wellbeing conversations across their system, we aim to create cultures where people feel heard and valued, and in which diversity is respected. This should, in turn, encourage us all to pass care and compassion on to each other, to patients and to our families.

Wellbeing conversations should consider the whole wellbeing of an individual (e.g. physical, mental, emotional, social, financial, lifestyle, safety) and identify areas where the individual may need support, signpost them to that support, and regularly monitor their wellbeing over time.

When should I approach a wellbeing conversation?

We know that the wellbeing of our NHS people can be affected by all kinds of factors at work. Workload, capacity, relationships with colleagues and the physical working environment can all have an impact. Likewise, factors outside work, including lack of sleep, financial worries, health conditions, caring responsibilities and other personal circumstances, can have an impact - especially if they have changed recently.

The NHS People Plan encourages all NHS organisations to create cultures where our NHS people have regular wellbeing conversations with their line manager or a trusted colleague. These wellbeing conversations could be held as standalone conversations with a colleague, or incorporated into existing conversations, such as regular 1:1s or during check-ins. You could also touch base during team meetings or shift handovers to see if anyone would benefit from a follow up conversation.

Who should hold the conversation?

In most cases, a health and wellbeing conversation will be held by a line manager or supervisor, but in some instances colleagues may feel more comfortable talking to another trusted colleague about their wellbeing.

We would also encourage that, across an organisation, teams actively support one another by regularly checking in.

Tip: For some, holding a wellbeing conversation may feel daunting at first. It is important to remember that you are not being asked to provide clinical advice - your role is to hold the conversation, actively listen to your colleague, be compassionate and signpost to further support.

This range of resources aims to support line managers and leaders in having effective and supportive wellbeing conversations with their colleagues.

How should I approach a wellbeing conversation?

Whether it's taking place virtually or in person, it's important to hold a wellbeing conversation in a safe, confidential space.

Before you start the conversation, take a moment to reflect on any cultural considerations that may be relevant. For example, if you are aware that your colleague has recently experienced a bereavement, consider the different bereavement practices that they may follow depending on their religion or beliefs. Be aware of any religious festivals or events that are taking place that may have an impact on your colleagues wellbeing, such as fasting during Ramadan.

A great way to start the conversation is by simply asking 'how are you?' and allowing your colleague time to reflect and respond. Actively listen to their response and allow the conversation to flow. Where needed, follow up with further open questions such as "how are you, really?", "is there anything that is currently having an impact on your health and wellbeing?" or "how can I best support you?".

Tip: Some colleagues may not feel comfortable talking about their personal health, and it is important that as a line manager, you reassure them that this is ok. Perhaps make a suggestion that the conversation will be followed up at a later date.

Key skills for wellbeing conversations

One of the most important skills that you will need in order to facilitate an effective and supportive wellbeing conversation is listening - empathic and active listening.

Michael West has published a range of useful resources on compassionate leadership that reflect on the benefits of active listening. He recommends that leaders create compassionate cultures, where colleagues feel listened to and supported, by using the following four steps:

1. Attending - paying attention to your colleagues and "listening with fascination"

2. Understanding - sharing an understanding of what they are going through

3. Empathising where relevant

4. Helping - taking action to signposting to support.

Following these four steps can help less confident or less experienced line managers hold effective wellbeing conversations, where their colleagues feel valued and listened to.

Ahead of holding the wellbeing conversation, you may also want to prepare yourself by checking what local and national support options are available, should you need to signpost your colleague to any specific services. You may wish to remind yourself of the referral process for your local employee assistance programme or Occupational Health and Wellbeing service.

Good practice for wellbeing conversations

Wellbeing conversation are:

Caring and compassionate - they give space to enable employees to holistically explore their wellbeing.

Employee led - they enable the employee to lead the conversation and focus on the most important things to them.

Supportive - they signpost employees to the most appropriate support.

On-going and dynamic - wellbeing changes over time, therefore these conversations should be held regularly.

Inclusive - every NHS employee should have ongoing supportive conversations that enable their unique and diverse personal wellbeing needs to be met.

Wellbeing conversation are not:

Therapeutic interventions - employees should, where necessary, be signposted to access appropriate support from trained professionals.

Judgemental or performance related - wellbeing conversations should not be used for performance management or as a way of judging the quality of someone's work.

A formal mental health assessment - if you think your colleague needs a formal mental health assessment, you can signpost them to a relevant trained professional.

How to approach wellbeing conversations with disabled colleagues

The video below also shares ideas on how to approach a wellbeing conversations with disabled colleagues and why this is important.

Staff experiences

How wellbeing conversations helped personally and why they are important.

Resources

Case Studies - Three case studies about rolling out wellbeing conversations across the NHS (one of which also includes a toolkit and Personal Wellbeing Plan).

You may download a powerpoint presentation about implementing wellbeing conversations (read only) or just the editable template slides. Accessibility note: The content in this page is the accessible alternative to the powerpoint presentation.

If you have any specific queries on wellbeing conversations, please email ournhspeople.hwb@nhs.net

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The NHS People Plan 2020-21 sets out an ambition "From September 2020, every member of the NHS should have a health and wellbeing conversation and develop a personalised plan. These conversations may fit within an appraisal, job plan or one-to-one line management discussion, and should be reviewed at least annually.

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What conversations are you feeling apprehensive about having? In this bitesize course, we're going to look at what makes a conversation courageous and how you can have successful conversations that make a difference.

Many of us work in the health and care system because we care about people and work to support them when they are having a difficult time. Most of the time we love it and it is hugely rewarding but other times it can be really difficult work.

There's always the pressure of time, resources, and different demands on you. But we also get to work with people at their best and their worst.It is working with people that can often make things hard. Sometimes a courageous conversation is needed but we don't always have them.

Find some time and space with a notebook to work through this reflective guide that will encourage you to feel empowered in facing and holding courageous conversations.

Developed by:
NHS Leadership Academy as part of the upcoming Edward Jenner programme version 3.0

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Courageous Conversations – Leadership Academy

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What conversations are you feeling apprehensive about having? In this bitesize course, we’re going to look at what makes a conversation courageous and how you can have successful conversations that make a difference.

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So many of our conversations at this time are about COVID-19 and this can become all-consuming. How can we acknowledge the impact this has on us and others, particularly when it just becomes 'too much'?

When someone is having a difficult time, their emotional resilience often suffers. Things start to get on top of them and even small problems become magnified and weigh them down. But however hard it seems, taking the time to ask, 'Are you OK?' can help to release the pressure and turn stress that feels overwhelming into stress that can be acknowledged and resolved.

This guide has been designed with Samaritans, experts in supporting people at any time when they are struggling to cope, whatever they are going through.

Find some space and time to work through this guide to understand how you can be there for someone when they need it most.

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So many of our conversations at this time are about COVID-19 and this can become all-consuming. How can we acknowledge the impact this has on us and others, particularly when it just becomes 'too much'? When someone is having a difficult time, their emotional resilience often suffers.

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Sun Awareness Week

Sun Awareness week is the kick-off to our summer-long Sun Awareness campaign. We use this week to re-enforce the need for sun protection across the UK and inspire people to raise awareness themselves!

Sun Awareness Week 2024 will be from 6 May to 12 May. Our focus this year will be around raising awareness of non-melanoma skin cancer and best practices for people to check their skin for this very common type of skin cancer.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, and the number of people diagnosed with the condition has risen steeply since the 1970s. There are two main categories of skin cancer - melanoma and non-melanoma. This section will provide you with a brief overview of skin cancer, but more information can be found in our Patient Information Leaflets located in the A-Z of Conditions, under the different cancer names.

Downloadable Leaflets & Posters

The BAD has produced a range of leaflets and posters that we encourage people to download and use as part of sun awareness events and campaigns.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

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Sun Awareness week is the kick-off to our summer-long Sun Awareness campaign. We use this week to re-enforce the need for sun protection across the UK and inspire people to raise awareness themselves [...]

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Stressed, Overwhelmed or Burnout Toolkit

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Stressed, Overwhelmed or Burnout Toolkit

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According to gender statistics released by NHS Digital in 2021, over 23 per cent of our NHS workforce are male or identify as male. Out of a total of 1.35 million NHS staff, there are approximately 320,000 men working in the NHS. It is therefore imperative, as outlined by the Men's Health Forum that NHS organisations put a strong focus on men's health and wellbeing, especially because on average:

The NHS people plan focuses on prioritising 'looking after our people', to ensure staff are safe and healthy at work and can deliver safe and high-quality patient care. Here we outline ways in which health and wellbeing leads, managers and employees can take collective responsibility to support the physical and mental wellbeing of men working in the NHS.

It is important to note that the topics covered are not exhaustive of men's health issues but highlight some of the main areas our network have told us they would like support with.

If there are any topics you would like us to include, or if you would like to share how you have supported men's health in your organisation please get in touch.

How your organisation can support men's health

1. Identify the need

Think about metrics that will help you gain insight into men's general health in your organisation. You could look at the electronic staff record (ESR) system to find out the number of males, or people that identify as male. Look at sickness absence data to understand absence rates and any patterns in reasons for absence in men.

Take a look at your NHS staff survey data and consider the feedback from colleagues.

Look at variations in relation to demographics such as age and think about how this might impact your target audience, the most appropriate interventions, and channels of communication.

Complete the NHS health and wellbeing framework diagnostic tool to self-asses your organisation against each section of the NHS health and wellbeing framework. It provides a view of where your organisation should prioritise its efforts and will give you an understanding of health and wellbeing within the context of your organisation and diversity of your NHS people.

Work in partnership with your occupational health team to identify referral reasons for men and understand the impact on sickness absence, the types of support staff have received and what is available to them. This may help you understand if available support such as counselling is being sufficiently used, and timescales in which support is made available.

Source new data to enrich your findings. A good mix of quantitative and qualitative data is helpful, but keep in mind survey fatigue and that you may be able to gain a deeper understanding of needs simply through having meaningful conversations with staff directly about the changes they would like to see and why. You could invite your colleagues to focus groups to discuss this or through your regular wellbeing conversations

Find out your most accessed men's health and wellbeing intranet pages and resources to help you see which are most relevant.

2. Put a plan in place

Based on your organisational data findings and guidance from the NHS health and wellbeing framework diagnostic tool map out tasks and activities you intend to do to support men's health:

Use academic research and ideas from your networks to support your approach

Set realistic timescales for achieving your goals.

Start thinking about robust ways in which you will measure the success of your overall strategy and individual interventions.

Think about any restrictions or barriers that may come up and how you might tackle them.

Organisational culture

Does the organisational culture support the implementation of your agenda? Are basic needs of men (and staff in general) such as access to sufficient breaks, food and water being met? There is more value in your psychological interventions if you first ensure the culture can support these basic needs. Without these factors, staff will have less capacity to respond to higher level interventions relating to their phycological and self-fulfilment needs.

Resources, capacity, and infrastructure

Consider the sustainability of your agenda in the long term:

Do you have the time and resources, and financial input to deliver a campaign?

Are relevant resources available for cross-team collaboration to achieve your goals? Have you got the organisational infrastructure to aid effective implementation? For example, a communications team that has capacity to mark relevant awareness days. If not, have you got wellbeing champions who can help you spread the word?

Support from your board

Engaging your board is a great way to gain buy-in from senior leaders to support your agenda on men's health. Remember to use evidence from the data you have gathered and research on what has previously worked for other organisations to support your business case. Use our get your board on board guidance to help you ensure you have their support before implementing your plan.

It is important that your leaders role model supportive wellbeing, so encourage your leaders to actively promote men's health. Active support from leaders at the top is more likely to influence organisation culture and encourage a positive attitude to supporting this.

3. Implement your plan

Collaborate with other teams

Connect with your colleagues, such as organisational development, communication, occupational health, human resources and learning and development teams to use their expertise to help you implement your plans. For example, working with the learning and development team to create educational tools and training for staff and managers on supporting men's health. Connect with your occupational health team to ensure their services adequately support men's health needs. Work with your trade union representatives to align your approach to amplify and support the voice of men in your organisation.

Ensure your resources are accessible and up to date

This includes internal and external resources and advice on your digital platforms, as well as any paper resources such as posters or leaflets that may be present in the workplace. Ensure accessibility of these resources for all staff, considering that clinicians and other NHS roles may find it easier to access resources/support on wards and in their work areas rather than online.

Upskill your managers

Upskill managers to allow them to spot signs of poor mental and physical wellbeing in men and to focus on prevention interventions. Ensure they are aware of resources or appropriate teams they can signpost their staff to.

See our health and wellbeing conversations guidance for advice on how you can successfully embed these in your organisation.

Set up training to help managers understand key topics in men's health and when to consider interventions such as referrals to occupational health.

4. Engage your staff

Get your staff involved in implementing the agenda to keep them engaged. Below are some ideas of how you may be able to do this.

Set up a safe, inclusive space for discussions

Research has shown the importance of providing a safe space for men to feel comfortable with sharing personal issues. This can help with continuity of discussions around men's health, breaking any stigmas and keeping the focus relevant by gaining feedback in real time about their needs. Familiar settings and those which allow for anonymity can help overcome the stigma often associated with talking about mental health and fosters the building of trust, which is known to develop slower in men, especially in those part of marginalised groups. Health and wellbeing leads could consider offering this virtually, or in a non- formalised setting, to ensure inclusivity of individuals that may otherwise not attend.

Encourage participants to drive the agenda

Give network members autonomy and control to plan the agenda and determine how the group is run. This can help foster engagement, interest and participation. Keep in mind that not all males necessarily identify with male-perceived themes, and stereotypes and expectations may sometimes be damaging. Research conducted by the Samaritans found there is no 'one-size fits all' with supporting men with their wellbeing. Ask participants what topics they would like to cover.

Align your events with key campaigns, awareness days and other health and wellbeing initiatives running through the calendar of national campaigns.

Target as many of your audience as possible and increase engagement through addressing a wide range of topics such as alcohol awareness week and world suicide prevention day. You can use our calendar of national campaigns to inspire you.

5. Communicate effectively

Use your wellbeing champions in your organisation to spread the word and share messages about new initiatives to support men's health. Take a look at our guide on how you can introduce health and wellbeing champions into your organisation.

Find out the communication methods staff are most responsive to in your organisation. Link in with your communications team for advice on what has worked in the past.

Consider your audience and how you are most likely to reach them. Are you aiming to reach a particular subgroup or is it relevant to all men in the organisation? For example, research on the successful mental health promotion with men (Robertson S, 2016) shows that younger men tend to prefer technological forms of communication, whereas more senior males often prefer a face-to-face approach.

Ensure your messaging/communication is inclusive, encourage trans men, non-binary people and women to join the network. Reiterating in communications that discussions taking place in dedicated network groups are confidential can encourage participants that may be apprehensive about sharing personal experiences.

Provide regular updates on events and campaigns taking place. Sharing staff stories and personal experiences with men's health and how new interventions are supporting them can foster engagement and demonstrates you have implemented what staff have asked for. Our NHS networks have reported a particular staff interest in senior leaders sharing personal experiences.

6. Evaluate the success of your strategy

Ensure you use robust evaluation methods to measure success of your individual interventions and your overall strategy. By considering how success will look like from the start and having measurable objectives, you are more likely to understand the real impact of your strategy. You can use our evaluation guidance to help you with this.

Top tips for health and wellbeing leads

Ensure line managers have training to recognise, support and signpost staff who may be experiencing issues related to men's health.

Ensure your wellbeing offer has a wide range of easily accessible, highly promoted, and supportive resources staff can be signposted to.

Establish working conditions that promote good mental and physical health of men. This could include flexible working to ensure a good work-life, and presence of compassionate leadership.

Policies, events and networks should be inclusive and reflect the needs of men from a variety of backgrounds and with different experiences.

Topics of interest and helpful resources

In the sections below, we have collated some relevant topics of focus you may want to consider as part of your support for men's health. Please note that it is not an exhaustive list, so it is worth adapting a consultative and localised approach to meet your organisational/staff needs.

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We have created this guidance to support organisations to implement measures to support men's health.

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ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online.

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What’s On Our empowering and inclusive Menopause Awareness events and meetups are listed on Eventbrite - find one near you and register early to avoid disappointment! Follow us on Eventbrite to be the first to know when we realise future gatherings of like-minded folks! Click here.Were you looking for a 1:1…

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Unmind | Wellbeing that works | Workplace Wellbeing

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Unmind is a cultural change platform. We help leaders transform mental health and wellbeing cultures, and empower employees to lead more fulfilling lives.

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Unmind | Wellbeing that works | Workplace Wellbeing

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Unmind is a cultural change platform. We help leaders transform mental health and wellbeing cultures, and empower employees to lead more fulfilling lives.

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Monthly newsletter example from Go West PCN

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Monthly newsletter example from Go West PCN

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2. Go West PCN Newsletter May sleep 25 (1)

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September Natural England Health and Nature West Mids Newsletter

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September Funding Opportunities West Midlands

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The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age as oestrogen levels decline. Research shows that 10 per cent of women leave their jobs, and many more are reducing their hours or passing up promotions, because of their menopausal symptoms.

A survey from Acas has found that a third of employers (33 per cent) do not feel well equipped to support women going through the menopause.

If your organisation has any helpful resources on menopause and the workplace, please email us.

The NHS electronic staff record (ESR) team has worked with NHS England to develop a guide on recording menopause related sickness. The guidance includes step-by-step instructions on how to record menopause related absence to help HR colleagues and ESR users.

Nearly 60 per cent of people between the ages of 45 and 55 who are experiencing menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work. By recording accurately, organisations can gain a better understanding of the impact menopause is having on their colleagues and put in place the necessary support.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Menopause awareness eLearning - this 30-minute eLearning session outlines what the menopause is, common symptoms associated with it, and scenarios to help people better understand how they can support themselves and each other.

The Self Care Forum offers a self care aware fact sheet outlining key information on menopause and perimenopause.

Menopause Whilst Black is a podcast aimed at opening the conversation about diversity in the menopause.

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Information on how menopause can affect people at work and practical guidance for employers on how to improve workplace environments for them.

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The Work Well Programme is a set of tools and resources designed for healthcare professionals in busy roles, so you can beat burnout and thrive – no matter how busy things get.

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The podcast for doctors and other busy people

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peer support meet-ups and groups to help individuals to embrace a holistic approach to their menopause journey

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Menopause Knowledge empowers women and people of all backgrounds to thrive in menopause.A non-profit organisation, it was founded by Aline Boblin, a passionate Menopause Awareness Campaigner who uses her own experience and evidence-based research and training to set up empowering and supportive events in the Midlands and wider in the UK. Our aim is to help all of us approach positively the time in life that we call ‘menopause’..﻿Our events and peer support meet-ups and groups help individuals to embrace a holistic approach to their menopause journey..Whether you are looking at managing your menopause symptoms, or at preventing the long term health impacts of menopause, whether you are looking at HRT options, lifestyle adjustments, and a range of complementary medicines, or whether you are here to support your partner or others you know, we can help..The power is here for each indiviual to transform this stage in life into an opportunity to thrive, a Second Spring..Menopause Knowledge also works with clinicians and health care bodies to improve menopause support, and with employers supportive of having an inclusive hormonal health culture.I﻿nstagram:www.instagram.com/alineboblin/W﻿ebsite:menopauseknowledge.org/F﻿acebook page:www.facebook.com/menopauseknowledge

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Avoidance, Healthy Eating, Healthy Relationships, Mental Wellbeing, Physical Activity and Sleep.

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A personal guide to menopause for black women

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A personal guide to menopause for black women

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Toolkit further information and resources for menopause

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Toolkit further information and resources for menopause

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£19.80 pre payment certificate for 12 months

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If you pay for NHS prescribed HRT medicine 3 or more times in 12 months, an HRT PPC could save you money.

Each item on an NHS prescription usually costs £9.65. You can buy an HRT PPC for a one-off payment of £19.30 (the cost of two single items).

The HRT PPC covers an unlimited number of certain HRT medicines for 12 months, regardless of why they are prescribed.

The HRT PPC does not cover all HRT medicines. Check if it covers your HRT medicine.

If your HRT medicine is not covered, or you also get prescriptions for items other than HRT medicine, you may save more with a 3 or 12 month PPC that covers all NHS prescriptions.

Before buying an HRT PPC, check if you're entitled to free NHS prescriptions and other help with health costs using our eligibility checker.
Buy an HRT PPC
We can send your HRT PPC by email and you can also print and download it.

Contact us

Contact us if you need help with your application or your certificate details.

Online: using our online contact form

Telephone: 0300 330 2089
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday, 9am to 3pm.
> Find out about call charges

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NHS Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)

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If you pay for NHS prescribed HRT medicine 3 or more times in 12 months, an HRT PPC could save you money. Each item on an NHS prescription usually costs £9.65. You can buy an HRT PPC for a one-off payment of £19.30 (the cost of two single items).

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Complete with your proposals, costings and details and send back to Rita/Jo for approval and processing with finance :)