Local NHS mental health and disability services have been awarded a £50,000 grant to boost staff wellbeing. Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) will use the funding from NHS Charities Together and NHS England to deliver vital support for colleagues during the most challenging times.
Thanks to a grant from NHS Charities Together and NHS England, CNTW will be able to provide crucial support to help improve the wellbeing of local NHS staff, both now and in the future.
The grant has been awarded as part of an £11 million programme, which includes a £5 million contribution from NHS England. It is one of 29 ambitious projects across England to receive funding from the programme this Autumn.
CNTW has received the Workforce Wellbeing Local Grant which will go towards creating a dedicated staff wellbeing programme.
Research from NHS Charities Together has highlighted that almost half (47%) of NHS staff surveyed said their job was affecting their mental health and 41% their physical health. (2)
CNTW’s programme will support staff with internal or external investigations, coronial processes, or formal reviews. It will support ongoing work in the organisation, like the Avoiding Harm programme. This initiative, led by the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA), aims to reduce harm in healthcare. It focuses on improving workforce practices and enhancing leadership.
By supporting the people behind the process, we empower our staff and create space to reflect, learn, and foster lasting cultural change.
The project will be coordinated by CNTW’s Health and Wellbeing Lead Hannah Greaves, Dr Richard Duggins, Lead for the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) ICS Wellbeing Hub, and colleagues from NHS Wales.
Hannah Greaves, CNTW Health and Wellbeing Lead said: “This funding provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen our commitment to staff wellbeing and embed compassionate, evidence-based practices across CNTW. By building on the evidence from previous work, we aim to create sustainable approaches that promote psychological safety, reduce harm, and strengthen support for colleagues, particularly during challenging or sensitive situations.”
Sharon Brennan, Charity Communications and Marketing Manager at CNTW, said: “We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together and NHS England for this funding which will help ensure staff have the support they need to continue to provide the best possible care for patients when it matters most”.
Lynne Shaw Director of People and Organisational Development said “We are delighted that NHS Charities Together and NHS England chose our bid to be successful for this funding. CNTW’s programme will support staff with internal or external investigations, coronial processes, or formal reviews. It will support ongoing work in the organisation, like the Avoiding Harm programme. This initiative, led by the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA), aims to reduce harm in healthcare. It focuses on improving workforce practices and enhancing leadership”.
Ellie Orton, CEO, NHS Charities Together, said: “Many NHS staff feel that theirs is the best job in the world, but these roles come with a tremendous responsibility for the lives they care for, and at a time of incredible pressure on health services, this takes a toll on their mental and physical wellbeing.
“In the face of so many wider healthcare challenges it can be easy to forget about healthcare staff, but it goes without saying that we need a healthy workforce if we want a thriving NHS that can give patients the care they need.
“This funding means NHS charities like Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust can help ensure NHS staff prioritise their own health and wellness with the same care they give to patients, and we are delighted we can support this important work. We’ve spent a lot of time talking to frontline staff and analysing evidence from previous projects to arrive at solutions that will give healthcare staff the right tools to look after their own wellbeing.
Applications are now open for a second round of grant funding as part of this programme, in partnership with NHS England, and we’re excited to continue our work with NHS charities and other organisations to help the NHS go further for everyone.”