Recite Me

Neurodiversity Celebration Week, 18-24 March

Neurodiversity Celebration Week 18-24 March 2024

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative, which challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.

 

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is about recognising that everyone’s brain works differently. Everyone will have their own unique way of thinking, interacting, and experiencing the world. Neurodiversity is based on the concept that neurological variances should be recognised and respected just like any other human variation, such as gender, race, or sexual orientation.

Examples of Neurodiversity include:

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Dyslexia
  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or Dyspraxia
  • Dyscalculia
  • Developmental Language Disorder
  • Tic Disorders, including Tourette’s Syndrome
  • Intellectual Disability

Laura Clear, Deputy CEO and Executive sponsor the Diverse Abilities Staff Network, NCH&C, says: “Our people make NCH&C who we are, and it is important that we properly support anyone with a Neurodiversity – whether a staff member, a patient, or carer.

“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is an opportunity for us all to learn a bit more about the different ways our brains work and is a good reminder of the importance of kindness and acceptance. People’s abilities are varied, and everyone is different. As an organisation, we recognise and value those differences.”

We encourage you to use this week to learn more about the different types of Neurodiversity and the ways in which you can support your colleagues and our service users.

Attend a Neurodiversity Celebration Week event

There is an official schedule of events taking place throughout the week, including panel discussions with inspirational speakers from a range of backgrounds and professions. We would encourage staff to attend any events of interest.

Download the events schedule.

We want to use this week to focus on how we provide support to our staff and how we are supporting our service users.

There will be stalls taking place in our reception areas during the week. Please feel free to stop by and ask any questions:

Date Location and Time
Monday 18 March NCH Reception, 11am – 2.30pm
Thursday 21 March Attleborough Reception, 11am – 2.30pm
Friday 22 March North Walsham Reception, 11am – 2.30pm

 

 

Visit the Neurodiversity Celebration Week website for more information.

NCH&C is a top performing community trust in the NHS Staff Survey 2023

NCH&C is a top performing community trust in the NHS Staff Survey 2023

Last year we invited all our staff to complete the National NHS Staff Survey 2023. One of the world’s largest workforce surveys, and the best way for our staff to share their views about their job, our organisation, and the NHS.

63% of our substantive staff responded to the survey – that’s 1,567 people. For the second year, bank-only workers were also invited to complete the survey, of which 25% did.

The results are now live, and some highlights include:

  • Results showed that we were the top performing community trust for staff recommending NCH&C as a place to work
  • NCH&C was one of the top performing community trusts for the theme “We work flexibly” and for the sub-theme “Support for work-life balance”
  • 8 in 10 people feel their manager takes a positive interest in their health and wellbeing
  • 8 in 10 people feel the people they work with are understanding and kind to one another
  • 8 in 10 people feel they are able to make suggestions to improve the work of their team / department
  • 8 in 10 people would be happy with the standard of care provided by this organisation for a friend or relative

These positive themes were also reflected in the responses of our Bank staff:

  • 7 in 10 bank workers look forward to coming to work
  • 7 in 10 choose to work as a bank worker in the NHS because of the flexible working arrangements, and 9 in 10 agree they can decide the hours and shift patterns they want to work
  • 9 in 10 bank workers feel that their role makes a difference to patients
  • 9 in 10 bank workers feel they receive the respect they deserve from colleagues

Overall, the areas where the trust is reporting successes is centred on autonomy and our people feeling freedom within their role to decide how to work, and the ability to make suggestions to improve where they work. Success in these areas has led to the trust being one of the best performing community trusts for staff recommending NCH&C as a place to work.

NCH&C’s CEO, Matthew Winn, said:

“I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the NHS Staff Survey. All services and staff are continuing to work under huge pressure and despite this their commitment to delivering great community health and care support shines through.

“The wellbeing of our staff is our priority, and I am pleased that the work the trust has done over the past 12 months is reflected in improvements in these results in supporting our staffs’ ability to work flexibility. NCH&C is now one of the best performing community trusts for supporting work-life balance, and in the overall People Promise element: ‘We work flexibly’.

“The survey gives us clear feedback on areas where we need to make further progress including relationship building with both colleagues and managers, burnout, and inclusion. We will be addressing these areas of concern to ensure improvements are made and the right level of support is implemented throughout the trust.”

 

Results can be viewed in full, here:

Benchmark results

Directorate results

Ensuring our diverse workforce feel engaged, included, and heard

Take a moment with NCH&C

NCH&C introduced ‘Take a Moment with NCH&C’ podcasts in 2022, a sector leading and transformative communication approach.

Since then we have covered personal and insightful stories from a wide variety of people on an array of subjects. This includes carers, menopause, men’s health, LGBTQ+ personal stories, reasonable adjustments, and baby loss. Have a look at all our podcasts and listen here.

Almost 100 episodes of the podcast have been published to date with almost 10000 downloads. Its presence on platforms like Spotify and Amazon Music ensures a broad audience reach beyond internal staff. To further enhance its scope and impact, the podcast is planned, created, and published by a communications team that actively pursues potential interviewees and collaborations while fostering staff engagement through volunteer storytelling.

Earlier this year our podcast was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ at the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (ENEI) Inclusivity Excellence Awards.

In a case study about ‘Take a moment with NCH&C’, the ENEI said: “The podcast’s impact transcends numerical data, evident in its effectiveness as a communication tool and recruitment magnet.”

“In the first half of 2023, podcast-related social media posts reached 18,686 unique viewers, indicating significant interest, and driving traffic to NCH&C’s profile, a positive sign for recruitment efforts. Additionally, the podcast serves as a potent tool for potential recruits to gauge the organisation’s support and respect for its staff, fostering recruitment of a diverse workforce.”

Vicky Brooke, NCH&C’s Head of Communications, Marketing, and Engagement, said: “Official recognition for our podcast from the ENEI as an effective and regarded channel of communication is amazing. Staff tell us that they’ve listened to the 100 episodes we’ve so far created with genuine interest. It’s provided a great way to build empathy and understanding across our community trust and beyond.

“Right now we’re looking at the next phase for NCH&C’s podcast, including the possibility of creating department and service-specific episodes to further enrich the podcast’s value inside and outside of the organisation. We’re excited about launching a new series for the podcast in mid 2024.”

NCH&C podcast

Celebrating Overseas NHS Workers’ Day 2024

Celebrating over overseas NHS colleagues

Global Unity wellbeing group logo

Friday 1 March 2024 is Overseas NHS Workers’ Day.

Since its launch over 75 years ago, overseas healthcare professionals have played a vital role in the history of the NHS.

Of course, overseas workers have impacted healthcare long before the NHS existed. From pioneers such as Annie Brewster who emigrated from St Vincent in the 1860s and became known the Nurse Ophthalmic treating a variety of eye conditions in Whitechapel Hospital (now know as the Royal London), to James Samuel Risien Russell who is recorded as the first Black British consultant specialising in neurology in the 1880s and subsequently setting up his own mental health practice in the 1900s.

To support colleagues who identify as being an ‘overseas worker’, NCH&C recently launched its Global Unity Wellbeing Group. An informal sub-group of our Diverse Heritage Staff Network, the Global Unity Group is a supportive community for internationally recruited colleagues, or those who were educated overseas. This welcoming group is a place for internationally educated staff to meet in-person, network and get to know each other, participate in bespoke learning opportunities, and celebrate the diverse heritage of our growing workforce. The launch event back in November saw new and established staff come together to enjoy food, including an introduction to “chips and gravy!”

Photo from NCH&C's Global Unity meeting

My Story: Paschal Okorie 

This Overseas NHS Workers’ Day, one of our internationally educated colleagues, Paschal Okorie, agreed to tell us their story.

Paschal is a Physiotherapist based in West Norfolk. Here is their story…

“In the words of Roy Bennett’s ‘The light in the heart’, it is said that no one has ever achieved greatness without dreams. Also, Walt Disney in one of his famous quotes posited that if you can dream it, you can do it.

“The idea of studying physiotherapy came when I was a little younger. Due to my love for football (watching and playing) and general wellbeing of people, having accompanied my mother to the hospital as she used to take my little brother who at the time was diagnosed with congenital talipes equinovarus (club foot). Also, watching football and seeing how the physios and the doctors will run into the field to help players when they are injured grew my passion.

“In 2010, I gained admission into the university to study my dream course (Medical Rehabilitation) for 5 years and graduated in September 2015 with Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation (Physiotherapy) degree. I also proceeded to get my practising license in March 2016 and the rest, as they say, is history.

“As someone who is keen to keep adding more knowledge and would love to keep progressing in the profession – and who loves to travel to learn new things, especially other people’s culture, I applied for HCPC license in 2021 in other to migrate to the UK despite the pandemic at the time. I finally got registered with HCPC and by January 2022, I got a job role offer for a Band 6 Physiotherapist at NCH&C, after working in my home country for 5 years post induction.

“I would say so far that the journey has been smooth, and I have settled quickly into my new role and environment, despite the pressure of coming to a different country and trying to acclimatise with the environment, people, and culture, and the new job role, working to do my best to improve the service when called upon, and providing high quality care for patients.

“It’s been a roller coaster of multiple experiences from adapting to use of SystmOne, engaging in data transfer to ITP, replying to emails and tasks on daily basis, team meetings etc. and combining this with attending to my rota daily. All thanks to a great MSK West team members ably led by Sarah Hogan who have been very supportive and accommodating. I would like to specially appreciate Elinor who was the first person to welcome me to King’s Lynn out of her busy schedule at Norwich in the absence of my line manager at the time. I want to appreciate Richard for releasing his bicycle to help me get to work on time from QEH quarters. I would like to also appreciate Jamie, Frank, Chioma, Tracy, Clare, and Sara for the various roles they played in making sure I did settle in without much difficulty.

Finally, the journey just began.”

To find out more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at NCH&C, please visit our We Care microsite. 

Upcoming recruitment events for NCH&C

Find out more about working in Norfolk's community NHS

NCH&C recruitment day OTs in the forum

Interested in a healthcare career but want to find out more?

Perhaps you’re not sure if you have the qualifications required for one of our entry-level roles, or maybe you have a few questions about returning to clinical practice after a career break?

We know the job-seeking process can be a bit daunting and off-putting, so we want to make it easy as possible for you to find a new career you love. If you have any questions at all about working at NCH&C, come along to one of our friendly and informal recruitment open days to find out more.

You can find us at the following recruitment events…

Our experienced Career Development team will be on hand at all these events to answer your questions. They can even support you with your application, and provide guidance on how to prepare for your interview.

If you have any questions, please contact careerdevelopment@nchc.nhs.uk

We’ll be sharing details of more of our Norfolk recruitment events very soon! 

NCH&C recognised for the quality of its preceptorships

NCH&C accredited for the quality of its preceptorships

photo of nurses

NCH&C is delighted to have received the National Preceptorship Interim Quality Mark.

The National Preceptorship Programme was established in November 2021 to design, develop and deliver a Preceptorship Framework for Nursing for England and associated quality standards for all health and social care organisations.

For newly-qualified nurses and nursing associates, a preceptorship is an important part of your career journey. A preceptorship is a more structured approach to your first year of nursing after graduation. To help you ease into the transition of nursing responsibilities, during this first year you are given extra support and on-the-job training. This ensures all nurses are working to the high standards we need, and setting them up for success in the rest of their career. Visit the NHS England website to find out more about preceptorships in the NHS and why they matter.

Following a thorough assessment, NCH&C was successfully awarded the National Preceptorship Interim Quality Mark. The assessing panel was particularly impressed with NCH&C’s Multi-Professional Preceptorship Policy and Preceptorship Handbook were excellent, they also stated that our Preceptorship Portfolio Workbook was ‘exemplary’.

Lynne Fanning, Head of Clinical Education and Research at NCH&C, expressed her delight with the new award:

“Preceptorship is important for us at NCH&C more so now, than ever. We are delighted to be awarded the Interim National Preceptorship for Nursing Quality mark for our work on the development of a Multi-Disciplinary policy and programme to support our preceptors and preceptees, following the newly published National guidance for AHPs and Nursing staff. The purpose of preceptorship is to provide support, guidance and development for all newly-registered practitioners to build confidence and develop full competence as they transition to autonomous professionals (National Preceptorship Programme, 2022) and we are committed to ensure that all of our preceptees are given the opportunities for support and development as they move into what may be their first post in the NHS”. 

Carolyn Fowler, Director of Nursing & Quality at NCH&C, also shared her gratitude to the teams who made this recognition possible:

“I am so delighted that NCH&C has been recognised for the support we offer to colleagues who are completing a preceptorship. Continual learning is vital for the development of our workforce, so it is essential that all those on a preceptorship are well-supported. A big thank you to NCH7c’s Clinical Education team for their continual support of our learners, and their commitment to this particular piece of work.”

A big thank you to everyone who supports our wonderful preceptees, and who helped make this accreditation possible.

preceptorship quality mark accreditation

Willow Therapy Unit Recruitment Open Day

Complete an application and have an interview on the day!

advert for NCH&C's new Willow Therapy Unit

NHS recruitment open day for healthcare jobseekers – complete an application and have an interview on the day!

Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) is holding a recruitment open day for healthcare professionals, and those who want to get started on their healthcare career journey.

Friday 23 February
09:30 – 16:00
The King’s Centre, Norwich, NR1 1PH

The informal drop-in event is for anyone who wants to find out more about working at NCH&C’s new Willow Therapy Unit. Attendees will also be supported to complete job applications in person, and complete interviews on the day if they wish.

Opening in Spring 2024, the Willow Therapy Unit will be a start-of-the-art new therapy unit based at Norwich Community Hospital on Bowthorpe Road. Staff will use cutting-edge technology and the latest therapeutic practices to help patients get strong enough to return home, following a stay in acute hospital. The new unit will be an important resource for helping the people of Norfolk stay well and in their own homes.

NCH&C is hiring for a range of roles at the new Willow Therapy Unit, including Nurses, Physiotherapists, and Occupational Therapists, as well as unregistered roles like Assistant Practitioners and Clinical Support Workers – perfect for individuals just starting out in their healthcare career journey. NCH&C welcomes applications from newly qualified clinicians, and those whose professional registrations may have lapsed. In both cases, NCH&C can support individuals as they gain confidence and competence in relevant clinical skills.

Kate Pontin, Operational Director for Transformation & Delivery at NCH&C, offered a warm invitation to anyone interested in a new healthcare career:

“We know the job-hunting process can be daunting, especially if you are at the start of your career or returning to work after a break, so we want to remove as many obstacles as possible with our upcoming recruitment open day at the King’s Centre. Anyone who’s interested in pursing a healthcare career is encouraged to come along to find out more.

“NCH&C colleagues will be on-hand to answer any questions about the new Willow Therapy Unit, and support attendees to complete job applications where needed. We know interviews can be particularly nerve-wracking, so we’ll be offering informal, ‘getting to know you’ interviews on the day, too, for those who want them. It’s also a chance to find out more about working at NCH&C. We pride ourselves on being a rewarding place to work, where staff can make a real difference every day as part of an amazing team. We also prioritise autonomy and staff wellbeing, with free gyms, access to a staff wellbeing service, free physiotherapy, and regular refreshments”.

Willow Therapy Unit will be one of ten inpatient units operated by NCH&C in Norfolk. Operating across the whole of Norfolk, NCH&C’s 2,500 staff also delivers health and care in the community, including in patients’ homes, care homes, and GP surgeries.

For more information about working at Willow Therapy Unit, click here.

NCH&C celebrates We Care Day on 14 February

NCH&C celebrates We Care Day on 14 February

On Wednesday 14 February we’re celebrating NCH&C’s 3rd annual We Care Day. A day dedicated to championing our staff, encouraging allyship within our staff networks, and creating a sense of belonging across the organisation. We Care Day supports and celebrates the many cultures that make up NCH&C.

NCH&C has three staff networks: Diverse Abilities, Diverse Heritage, and LGBTQ+. These networks provide staff with a safe place to share stories, work together to create inclusive policies, and offer peer-to-peer learning and development.

Staff are further supported by our two new wellbeing groups which support staff who are further impacted by the communities that they intersect. Our Global Unity Wellbeing Group supports our internationally educated staff members, and our Staff Carers Wellbeing Group support our staff who are also carers outside of work.

NCH&C recognises the need to provide a safe environment for our staff to be authentically themselves and gain the support they need to be successful in their roles. We Care Day was launched to promote our staff networks and raise the sense of belonging across the organisation.

In the year since we last celebrated, we have:

  • Created two new wellbeing groups: Global Unity and Staff Carers
  • Welcomed Liz Cooke, Director of HR and OD, as our Executive Sponsor for the Diverse Heritage We Care Staff Network
  • Won a silver ‘excellence in inclusion award’ for our staff lived experience conversations via the ‘Take a Moment with NCH&C’ podcast
  • Maintained Disability Confident Leader status for the fourth year running
  • Hosted our first in-person staff network meeting for LGBTQ+ members
  • Became a Veteran Aware Bronze Award member organisation
  • Set-up an anti-racist workplace committee

The We Care initiative is a unifying symbol of allyship. This We Care day, think about how you can show others support and care: check-in on a colleague, host a We Care Event (email wecareevents@nchc.nhs.uk for more info), or become a staff network ally.

National Apprenticeship Week 2024 – Lillie’s Apprenticeship Journey

Growing our own talented workforce

physio apprentice

This week is National Apprenticeship Week.

From 5-11 February, we’ll be celebrating apprenticeships at NCH&C.

An apprenticeship is a great way to earn while you learn and gain a valuable qualification to help you progress your career to the next level. At NCH&C, we rely on apprenticeships (and our apprentices) to ensure we have the right staff to deliver excellent care to our patients.

This week, applications opened for several of our popular apprenticeships. NCH&C colleagues can currently apply for their Nursing Degree Apprenticeship, or for a range of apprenticeships in the Allied Health Professions, including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Podiatry.

We’re also trying something new this National Apprenticeship Week: a webinar for managers, all about apprenticeships. NCH&C is proud to have a high rate of apprentices complete their course, thanks to the hard work and care of the teams that support them. By equipping all our managers with the information and resources they need, we’re helping to make sure our apprentices are set up for success.

There is no upper age limit on completing an apprenticeship, and they can be completed at any stage in your career. NCH&C is lucky enough to have amazing apprentices from all stages of life, across all bands, in a range of clinical and non-clinical disciplines. To find out more about doing an apprenticeship at NCH&C, visit our apprenticeships webpage. 

Lillie’s apprenticeship journey

Photo of Lillie, an admin apprentice at NCH&C

“The reason to why I wanted to do an apprenticeship was because I wanted to earn money whilst I was learning. I thought that this was more beneficial to me than going to university. At the end of my course, I will gain a qualification that will help me with jobs in my future.

“I am weighing up two different career paths after my apprenticeship, but they both involve me staying within NCH&C. I am trying to decide if I want to stay in the administrative side at NCH&C or if I would like to go into the more clinical side of things – such as a Healthcare Assistant.

“During my apprenticeship, I have had lots of shadowing opportunity with other administrative roles, such as the main reception at the Community Hospital in Norwich, which I very much enjoyed. I also, shadowed an inpatient reception for a day, which I found the most interesting. This was because I got to have patient contact and meet the families that were coming to visit the patients. If I were to stay within the admin team, I would like to be a Ward Clerk or Reception on an Inpatient Ward.”

Thank you to Lillie for sharing her apprenticeship story.

To find out more about apprenticeships at NCH&C, contact careerdevelopment@nchc.nhs.uk

A move improve our outstanding care – the new Priscilla Bacon Lodge

For over 40 years, NCH&C staff provided specialist palliative and end-of-life care for patients in Norfolk and Waveney at Priscilla Bacon Lodge (PBL) which was part of the Colman Hospital in Norwich.

The Lodge was built in 1979 following a county-wide fundraising appeal led by Lady Priscilla Bacon and was donated to the NHS after the facility was built.

Since then the population of Norfolk has grown by over 220,000. People are living longer and increasing numbers of patients are presenting multiple complex care conditions. Palliative care has progressed tremendously during this time too.

£12.5 million was raised by the Priscilla Bacon Hospice charity to build a new hospice in Colney. As well as having inpatient beds, the new Priscilla Bacon Lodge offers vastly improved daycare facilities, with a wellness centre, gym, and a greater number of counselling and therapy rooms.

As part of the transition to the new site, NCH&C colleagues and volunteers, and staff and fundraisers from the Priscilla Bacon Hospice charity took part in a lantern-lit walk from the old PBL to the new. The lantern-lit walk symbolised the bringing of light from the origins of PBL, into its future as a symbol of hope and remembrance.

Watch a short video from staff and volunteers about their thoughts and feelings about the move to the new PBL here:

The launch of the new PBL marks the launch of a new Palliative Care Provider Collaborative between NCH&C, NNUH, and the Priscilla Bacon Hospice charity to seamlessly deliver specialist palliative care in Norfolk. The new facility will be a platform for education and research, supporting improvements in palliative and end-of-life care locally and nationally. It will become a hub for palliative care services, working with the University of East Anglia, and collaborating with the Norwich Research Park.

We deliver a number of services to palliative and end-of-life patients across Norfolk, including community service, day treatment, and specialist in-patient units. Our staff do incredible work to ensure our patients receive the best end-of-life care possible.

Ruby Cox, a Staff Nurse at PBL, shares her career journey and how she unexpectedly found a passion for working in end-of-life care here.