Improving the health and wellbeing of the nursing workforce

The RCN supported the work carried out by Dr Steve Boorman on the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce and continues to work with the Department of Health and NHS Employers to support implementation of the recommendations.

The Boorman review found that NHS trusts that looked after the health and wellbeing of staff had better patient outcomes, in other words what’s good for staff is good for patients.

The RCN believes that health and wellbeing initiatives in the NHS should:

• be carried out in partnership with staff and their trade union representatives – done with staff and not just too staff
• focus on prevention of the work related causes of ill health and injury as well as the lifestyle causes
• be tailored to the needs of nurses and health care staff who work shifts or peripatetically
• focus on the issue of presenteeism as well as sickness absenteeism
• support early interventions programmes e.g. prompt access to physiotherapy services for staff off work with musculoskeletal disorders
• invest in the provision of good occupational health services that all staff can access.

Further information on the review of the health of the NHS workforce can be found at www.nhshealthandwellbeing.org