The project

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals has established a Men’s Health Network that works in partnership with local organisations to create Men’s Den. This innovative initiative provides an inclusive, welcoming space specifically designed to support male staff wellbeing.

Men’s Den offers colleagues a relaxed environment where they can connect with others, talk openly about issues affecting their lives, and access mental health support without judgement. Unlike traditional clinical services, Men’s Den creates an informal, peer-based setting that feels natural and approachable for men who might otherwise be reluctant to seek help.

To mark International Men’s Day 2025, the team launched a podcast episode featuring Graham Peterkin, who shares how Men’s Den was developed and explains his own personal journey supporting people with their mental health.

Why this helps staff

Many male staff face significant barriers when seeking mental health support, including stigma around discussing feelings and social expectations about masculinity. Men’s Den removes these barriers by creating a safe, non-clinical space where conversations about wellbeing feel natural rather than formal.

The initiative recognises that men often prefer connecting through informal peer support rather than traditional counselling routes. By providing multiple ways to access help, staff can choose the method that feels most comfortable for them.

Personal stories create connection and encourage staff to seek support. Partnership working with local organisations strengthened community impact. Using an accessible podcast format allowed staff to engage privately and conveniently.

The podcast reinforces the vital message that no one has to struggle alone, helping to normalise conversations about men’s mental health across the trust.

Innovative ‘People Promise’ programme helps region retain more healthcare workers
Fewer NHS staff are leaving their posts in the South East than at any point in over a decade, with innovative retention schemes delivering significant improvements across the region.

The figures show that 10.6% of workers left the NHS in the South East in the 12 months to September 2024, down from 11.2% in the previous year and 13.4% in 2022. This represents a substantial shift in workforce stability for the region’s health service.

The improvement mirrors the national picture, where the leaver rate has fallen from one in eight (12.5%) in 2022 to one in ten (10.1%) in 2024 – nearly 21,300 fewer staff departures across England.

Supporting staff to stay

The positive trend has been driven by ‘The People Promise’, a two-year initiative designed to find innovative ways to improve NHS retention. The programme encourages action by staff, for staff, focusing on flexible working, leadership and culture.
Nationally, the initiative has helped an estimated 4,500 full-time equivalent staff members remain in the service. A newly-published review found that participating organisations reduced their leaver rates by an average of 11.8%, with those implementing more interventions seeing the greatest improvements.

The review identified efficient e-rostering, flexible working and retirement options, and local staff listening sessions as having the biggest impact on retention rates across participating organisations.

Making a difference for South East staff

NHS England in the South East has welcomed the positive impact of efforts to improve the working environment for healthcare staff across the region. The results demonstrate what is possible when organisations listen to their workforce and work collaboratively to make meaningful changes that improve their working lives.

Local success story

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, one of 23 organisations in the pilot’s first cohort, has demonstrated the programme’s potential through wide-ranging interventions. The trust focused on supporting internationally recruited colleagues, developing a Just Culture programme, and dramatically increasing flexible working options in job advertisements from 7% to 86%.

Other initiatives included cost of living support, trained career coaches, expanded counselling services, and a strategy to reduce violence and racism against staff. The trust also created a wellbeing garden using charitable funding and developed a bespoke support package for internationally recruited colleagues, earning recognition through the Pastoral Care Quality Award.

These comprehensive efforts delivered impressive results, with employee turnover at the trust dropping from 14.6% to 10.6%. Staff survey results have shown the effectiveness of these interventions, with improvements recorded across each of the People Promise areas.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is setting a high standard in supporting the wellbeing and professional development of its 280 Resident Doctors. The Trust has already implemented the majority of the ‘10 Point Plan to improve resident doctor’s working lives’ initiatives, demonstrating a proactive and compassionate approach to workforce care.

A standout example is the newly refurbished Resident Doctor’s Mess— number one on the ten-point plan – a purpose-built sanctuary designed with input from doctors and national guidance.

This space offers a large communal area with a pool table, kitchen facilities, workstations, and a TV, alongside two lockable single-bed rooms for short power naps. These facilities complement existing sleep pods and are part of a broader sleep policy that includes bookable rooms for rest after night shifts, ensuring doctors can recover safely before travelling home.

The Mess also serves as a psychologically safe space, encouraging doctors to decompress, connect with peers, and build supportive networks. Beyond rest and relaxation, the Trust ensures access to hot food 24/7 and designated parking for those on call or working irregular shifts.

Resident Doctors also benefit from the Trust’s award-winning health and wellbeing programme. This includes a bespoke wellbeing centre with a free gym and exercise classes, a secluded garden with quiet zones, psychological support services, financial planning workshops, health screenings, smoking cessation support, travel vaccinations, and an online GP service.

To ensure their voices are heard, Resident Doctors actively participate in a dedicated forum and Local Negotiating Committee, working closely with the Guardian of Safe Working, Medical Education teams, and the Chief Medical Officer. The Trust is also recruiting a peer representative who will report directly to the Trust Board, further embedding Resident Doctors into the heart of organisational decision-making and making sure the trust adheres to point number four on the ten-point plan to improve the working lives of resident doctors. Through these channels Resident Doctors at Royal Berkshire have a stronger voice and are involved in discussions which directly impact their working lives.

This comprehensive approach reflects Royal Berkshire’s commitment to creating a supportive, safe, and empowering environment for its Resident Doctors—one that prioritises wellbeing, fosters community, and enables high-quality patient care.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) and Isle of Wight NHS Trust (IWT) are working together to improve the working lives of resident doctors, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and able to thrive in their roles. With more than 950 Resident Doctors across both Trusts, they have introduced a range of initiatives that focus on wellbeing, professional development, and creating a positive working environment.

In September 2025, the Trusts actioned point 4 of the 10-point plan and appointed two named leads to support Resident Doctors: a senior leader responsible for resident doctor issues, and a peer representative who is a resident doctor. Both report to the Board. The Trusts have also invested in professional development and leadership opportunities. The Chief Resident programme continues to provide a platform for resident doctors to develop leadership skills and bring their voice directly into senior leadership forums.

In addition, the Chief Registrar programme and the Resident Doctor Executive Forum—chaired by the Chief Registrar and supported by senior leaders—are helping to shape improvements in wellbeing, rota management, and education making sure that resident doctors have a strong voice when the issues that impact their working lives are discussed. The commitment to improving rota management is in response to point two, with the trust committed to ensuring resident doctors receive their work schedules and rota information as per the requirements in the Rota Code of Practice.

At PHU, practical improvements have been made to support staff, including resident doctors working long and often unsociable hours to deliver against point 1 of the 10-point plan. A new Marks & Spencer Food store has opened on-site, alongside a 24/7 Costa Coffee outlet and ‘Cook’ vending machines stocked with high-quality frozen meals for night workers. These changes ensure that resident doctors always have access to nutritious hot food and refreshments, helping to improve wellbeing during demanding shifts.

PHU has also extended self-directed learning time to all resident doctors, including locally employed doctors, and its induction and teaching programme has been highlighted as an example of good practice by the GMC.

Both PHU and IWT are committed to ensuring equity of access to training and career progression. Resident doctors wishing to complete CESAR (Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration) are supported through structured programmes, while locally employed doctors benefit from a dedicated lead consultant to oversee their training, education, and supervision. Both Trusts also have SAS tutors in place to provide additional support and ensure resident doctors can develop their career in their desired area and speciality.

Importantly, the two Trusts have joined the national pilot to improve the working lives of resident doctors, aligning with wider NHS ambitions to create sustainable, supportive working environments. Both Trusts have also signed up to the National Payroll Improvement Programme to identify and take action to rectify the causes of payroll errors and provide more financial stability to resident doctors.

Committed to addressing point six on the plan that no resident doctor will unnecessarily repeat statutory and mandatory training when rotating, work is underway to streamline mandatory training through the Mandatory Learning Oversight Group, reducing duplication and freeing up more time for clinical practice and learning.