This page contains a range of support for helping increase resilience, emotional balance and psychological wellbeing.
Employee Assistance Programme
Provided by an independent, leading provider of professional employee support services - 'Care First'.
The service is confidential and free of charge. It offers help with a wide range of work, family and personal issues, including legal, practical and emotional.
It is accessible by telephone or online, and also offers individual counselling sessions.
You don't need to ask your manager, just call and you can speak to a professional counsellor or information specialist in confidence, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
Tel: 0800 174319
Care first login page
Username: ouh
Password: employee
Staff Support Service
The Staff Support Service is run by a group of experienced Psychologists and Psychiatrists from our Psychological Medicine Centre.
Post-Event Team Reflection (PETR)
The service offers Post-Event Team Reflection (PETR) for teams following distressing or potentially traumatic events in the workplace.
PETRs follow a facilitated peer-support structure, where colleagues are invited to share their experiences, discuss the impact together, learn more about common reactions to distressing events and where further support is available.
In this context, the team is defined as a group of individuals who worked together during the event(s). The focus is on enhancing connection and meaning, with the aim of supporting individual and team wellbeing.
These can be requested via a form on the PETR intranet or by email.
Email: staffsupport@ouh.nhs.uk
Group psychology interventions for individuals
The Staff Support Service offers a range of group psychology interventions for work-related difficulties.
These include:
- a group to support staff experiencing burnout
- a group for overcoming low self-esteem, with a particular focus on how this is experienced in an NHS context
- a single-session workshop on improving sleep, which will include content relevant for shift and non-shift workers.
For further details, or to self-refer, visit the Staff Support Service intranet or email.
Email: staffsupport@ouh.nhs.uk
We cannot accept urgent referrals, so if you are concerned about your safety or that of others, please do contact NHS 111.
Mental Health First Aiders
A Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) is someone trained to act as a point of contact and reassurance for a person experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. Their role is to listen non-judgementally, reassure and respond in a crisis. MHFAs can also provide signposting to professional help and other sources of support.
To find out more about the MHFAs within the Trust search 'Mental Health First Aiders' on the Trust intranet.
Mindfulness
Six-week Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) courses are run by the Head of Wellbeing twice-yearly.
Mindfulness (MBCT) has been proven to have positive impacts on:
- stress, anxiety and low mood
- attention and focus
- cognitive flexibility
- working memory
- concentration
- listening skills
- productivity.
To find out more please visit the Wellbeing page on the OUH staff intranet.
Safeguarding / domestic abuse
We support our staff as much as possible and this includes situations inside and outside work. For some, home and family is not always a safe place to be. In the UK, one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic violence during their lives, and there are reports that this number is rising.
If this is you, or you know of a colleague who is facing difficulties at home, please visit our Domestic Abuse intranet page or contact our Designated Safeguarding Officers:
Email: designatedsafeguardingofficer@ouh.nhs.uk
Chloe Allington-Dyckes
Tel: 07392 199842
Stephanie Poultney
Tel: 07584 000943
Chaplaincy
Bereavement support for staff
We understand that experiencing the loss of a loved one can be deeply painful and overwhelming. At times like these, it's important to know that you are not alone. Whether you need practical guidance, someone to talk to, or space to take care of yourself, we are here to support you with compassion and understanding.
National Bereavement Service
The National Bereavement Service (NBS) provides practical and emotional assistance after a death. If you or a loved one is experiencing loss, you can access free support today.
At the NBS, you can find advice with the following.
- Registering a death and when the coroner or procurator fiscal is involved
- Finding a reliable funeral director and how a funeral can be paid for
- Prioritising who needs to be informed of a death
- Help with understanding if you need probate and how to go about it
- Information about legal tasks, whether you can do it yourself or you need a solicitor and the costs
- Dealing with debts of the person who died
- Support if you feel you are struggling with your emotions
- Advice on how to support family, friends and colleagues with grief
Bereavement Services: Free Support for Bereaved People
Tel: 0800 0246 121
Monday to Friday 9.00am - 6.00pm
Saturday 10.00am - 2.00pm
Sunday closed
OUH Bereavement Service
The Bereavement Service is here to offer practical and emotional support to the immediate family or next of kin of anyone who dies as a patient of the Trust.
Freedom to Speak Up (FtSU) Guardians
Freedom to Speak Up (FtSU) Guardians - Social wellbeing
