We’re delighted that Caroline Roberts (pictured left) and Sandy Malone (pictured right) have been appointed as associate non-executive directors and, as part of their role, will be wellbeing guardians for our Trust Board. They are also both part of our People and Culture Committee, which reports to our Board. As wellbeing guardians, they will ensure that wellbeing is at the heart of what we do, link in with our Wellbeing team to understand important issues, and challenge the Board to always consider the impact of decisions on the health and wellbeing of staff. 

Caroline, who has been working with our Trust for three years, is also is a HR director at the Confederation of British Industry with experience in a range of organisations in the public and private sectors. She is looking forward to taking on the role which she says will provide “an impartial and independent view and an advocate for the workforce.” 

Sandy has worked with our Trust for seven years and is a director in global communications. She has worked in the public, not-for-profit, and commercial sectors with a focus on health, wellbeing, and customer and staff experience. She sees the role as being “the voice of the staff groups on their wellbeing, giving them a seat at the table to discuss what support they need, and being influential in initiatives to make sure our staff feel valued and well looked after.”    

The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for our staff, both personally and professionally. However, even before the pandemic, our staff reported challenges to their wellbeing. Ensuring that wellbeing projects are sustainable will be a key priority for Sandy. She said: “I want to ensure wellbeing is sustainable and embedded in the fabric of life in BHRUT. People should still be talking about wellbeing in years to come; this isn’t just a one-off project.”  

Caroline agreed: “Often there are lots of great initiatives going on in isolation; however, they should be part of one whole approach. We should look at everything we do and make wellbeing part of it.” 

Both Sandy and Caroline helped out during our recent Thank You Week, which was an opportunity to learn more about wellbeing needs from our staff. Caroline  said: “I served tea and cake to a member of staff who was about to go into theatre at 11am and said “I won’t be out until 5pm”. If someone outside the NHS had to do that, they would be horrified and anxious; however, our staff do this every day. Being there, and understanding what people want to support their wellbeing is really important.”  

Sandy highlighted listening as key to the success of the wellbeing guardian roles: “It can be very difficult to know what people really want, what their needs are, and what their concerns are. Wellbeing starts with a conversation and our priority has to be creating an environment where managers and staff feel able to have those conversations.”  

While the wellbeing guardians will be champions for staff wellbeing at board-level, it’s important that it is a priority for everyone. Caroline said: “There have been trends in the past where it became fashionable to show strength and ability by being able to disregard not only your own but other people’s wellbeing – but this not a strength. You can’t pour from an empty vessel – our staff care for others all the time and they need to be cared for too.”