The place that supports you
We want you to feel your best while working with us! Our health and wellbeing services are designed to give you the resources you need to thrive from day one. We believe that caring for each other is a fundamental part of our culture and helps us all contribute more effectively. To support this, we offer flexible working options, a valuable employee assistance programme for counselling, and dedicated services focused on workplace health. Plus, much more!
Our health and wellbeing catalogue
We are committed to ensuring our colleagues feel supported every day, in every aspect of their lives. Below is a glossary of the health and wellbeing services available across the NCA, aimed at helping our people thrive both at work and beyond.
Colleagues across the Northern Care Alliance are entitled to four hours of protected time, on top of their existing annual leave entitlement, to spend on wellbeing activities.
S.C.A.R.F is a wrap-around programme, unique to the NCA, which supports our employees to look after their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. This programme is led by our colleague experience team and is frequently refreshed with the latest practical resources and information.
If you need health and wellbeing support, you can find it at a click of a finger. Our SCARF programme averaged 1,295 page views per month between September 2023 and February 2024, with 886 support pack downloads during the same period. This reflects strong interest in our resources, aiding colleagues to feel their best inside and outside of work.
You can find the SCARF pack here.
We have an accredited in-house Occupational Health Service that aims to maintain the health and wellbeing of all colleagues and prevent workplace injuries. Through occupational health colleagues can access a wide range of services from work health assessments, immunisations including flu vaccines, physiotherapy, counselling, skin assessments as well as advice on workplace adjustments.
We have a colleague staff psychology service that is dedicated to supporting colleagues who experience trauma/PTSD, persistent anxiety/depression that impact on their daily function.
Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provided by Vivup contains a wide range of confidential support to help improve and maintain your mental health. This service is a 24/7 telephone helpline, available 365 days a year, and allows you to speak in confidence to a fully qualified counsellor or support specialist to discuss any emotional, personal or work-related issues.
The NCA are committed to supporting and improving the wellbeing of colleagues who may be experiencing difficulties due to women’s health concerns. We have extensive and inclusive support programmes and policies in relation to Menopause, Endometriosis, Pregnancy Loss and Fertility Support at Work and continue to develop our well women’s support.
As part of our Well Women’s Strategy, we have introduced endometriosis support to enhance the wellbeing of colleagues affected by this condition.
Specialist Nurse Practitioner, Hannah, shares her experience: “I’ve been able to put a Personalised Workplace Adjustments Plan (PWAP) into place this means that I can have flexible start/finish times when needed and I am able to use a hot water bottle at work if I need to. I also have days where, if I am not seeing patients, I will wear my own clothes instead of my uniform, which is helpful if the bloating is particularly bad that day.”
Based on national research and evidence, the NCA have developed and continue to develop a strategy to improve the wellbeing of men within the organisation – this relates to mental health and suicide, and the prevention of Long-Term Health conditions through initiatives such as our Target Your Health and Strava Clubs.
Under the Well Men's Strategy, the NCA partners with external organisations to offer support.
In July 2023, Andysman Club held 10 awareness sessions, and 75 colleagues joined the NCA Strava Clubs to encourage physical activity.
We offer a comprehensive wellbeing coaching programme that includes a series of wellbeing micro sessions for colleagues to access, learn new skills and tools that helps self-reflection to focus on their own wellbeing.
We are committed to growing a visible compassionate culture through the new Wellbeing and Attendance Management Policy and moving away from our traditional rigid sickness management to wellbeing management and adopting a person-centred, case management approach to wellbeing. Through supportive and compassionate leadership it is the responsibility of the manager to truly focus on supporting the wellbeing of our colleagues at work.
The Mental Health Champion programme aims to reduce the stigma and discrimination around mental health, by raising awareness and prioritising wellbeing within our teams. Colleagues can either sign up to become a Mental Health Champion, or reach out via the Champion network to access the right support when they need it.
We have over 750 Mental Health Champions across the NCA.
Migraines affect around 1 in 8 working adults in the UK, impacting mental health, relationships, and employment. Attacks can last from 2 to 72 hours, with sick leave varying widely. The impact on work is often underestimated, and many sufferers downplay their condition to avoid job loss or absence, which can worsen the pain. To support our colleagues, we’ve developed a Migraine Support Workplace Assessment Tool, to help identify any triggers, describe signs and agree support and adjustments to help our people manage and feel in control at work.
The NCA are committed to supporting colleagues’ financial wellbeing with a plethora of opportunities to access support services, helplines, lifestyle saving, and salary sacrifice initiatives, pension advice/awareness programmes, with a comprehensive financial toolkit to help colleagues navigate to the support that is right for them.
We know work-life balance is very important. We always try to accommodate flexible working that suits your needs and the requirements of the service, through arrangements such as annualised hours, home working, compressed hours, special leave, career breaks, and flexible retirement. Where possible, we support agile or remote working, as well as hot desking.
Assistant directorate manager for children’s and single point of access, Ruth has now had more than three years working in an agile and flexible way at NCA.
Ruth’s role before joining the NCA required being at a specific desk in a specific space for specific hours of work, which Ruth found constraining.
Agile working has been ideal – providing quiet time if needed as well as interaction with service colleagues and peers.
“Working in an agile way enables me to work from home or be based where I am needed that week. Having a better balance, allows me to meet with colleagues, keep a private space for meetings and protect time for specific pieces of work."
The NCA has teamed up with Simplyhealth to offer their corporate health plan. The Simplyhealth health plan allows you to claim your money back towards everyday health treatments such as optician appointments and glasses, dental treatments and body maintenance such as physiotherapy, podiatry and much more.
We have a Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care centre and faith rooms across the NCA. Whether you need somewhere quiet to sit and think, say prayers privately or join an organised activity, everyone is welcome. This provides a non-judgemental, compassionate, and confidential support.
We provide free complementary therapy such as aromatherapy, massage, reflexology and reiki therapy to all colleagues. The therapies are designed to reduce stress and anxiety and empower individuals by providing them with self-help techniques which can be used in future.
