Improving personal health and wellbeing
Mental and emotional health, physical health and a healthy lifestyle all contribute to an individual’s health and wellbeing. The following section includes definitions of each of these facets of health, why they matter and things to consider. Health and wellbeing issues will change with time, not only because of pandemics or the economic environment but also as the societal concept of health and wellbeing changes. The last few years has seen post-traumatic stress disorder, financial stress and the wellbeing impact of menopause become more relevant and visible in the workplace. Our evaluation of health and wellbeing needs to bear this ever-changing landscape in mind.
- Mental and emotional health
- supporting the management of active mental disorders and day-to-day stressors to ensure a person’s ongoing wellbeing and happiness is maintained.
- Physical health
- for most NHS organisations, physical health will focus on musculoskeletal health which is an important component of maintaining a person’s functional abilities, both in and out of work.
- Healthy lifestyle
- not all diseases are preventable but a large proportion of deaths, particularly those from coronary heart disease and lung cancer, can be avoided. Health is not only about avoiding disease – diet, exercise, hydration and sleep are essential.
Useful resources and links
- What it means to have a healthy lifestyle
- Mental Health Hubs
- Wellbeing apps
- Supporting Our People
- Support for our diverse colleagues
- Our Mind Plan – a free online toolkit developed by Public Health England which asks five questions to help you manage and maintain mental health.
- Supporting our staff to help money go further – links to resources on our website which support financial wellbeing
- Greater Manchester Wellbeing Toolkit
- Menopause Fact Sheet – Self Care Forum
Case studies
- Helping our people manage stress and anxiety – West Midlands Ambulance Service
- How to establish a model of psychological support for employees during COVID-19 and beyond – Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
- The impact of listening – University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust