FOI210077: Wellbeing and Mental Health days for staff

Released 13 May 2021

Request:

Please could you provide me with information regarding the introduction of any wellbeing days or mental health days for the employees in your trust. By wellbeing days, I mean days off given to employees to help them prioritise wellness or mental health. Some companies have introduced these days in response to the stress of the pandemic.

I would like to know:

1. Have you introduced a wellbeing day for your employees?
2. If so, does this apply to all your employees or just some?
3. When was it introduced?
4. Can the wellbeing day be taken off by employees at any time of year, or is there a specific date when everyone takes the day off together?
5. Why did you introduce a wellbeing day?

Information disclosed:

1. Yes, known as a ‘Thank You Day’.
2. It applies to all substantive staff who were employed by the Trust on/before 31^st December 2020.
3. It was introduced in December 2020.
4. The ‘Thank You Day’ can be taken before 31^st March 2022.
5. The Executive Team wanted to recognise the outstanding efforts staff had made to each other as colleagues, as well as to our patients during a very difficult year.  The day is to support staff in their personal or professional development, physical or mental wellbeing, to spend time with loved ones, enjoy a hobby or just relax.