Building a culture of wellbeing – Edgwick Medical Centre
A dedicated wellbeing room, appraisals with a focus on wellbeing and an open approach to difficult conversations are helping Edgwick Medical Centre make health and wellbeing part of everyday practice life.
For Practice Manager Lisa Reynolds, supporting staff wellbeing is not an additional initiative. It comes from understanding the pressures staff face first-hand. Lisa joined Edgwick Medical Centre as an apprentice at 16 and has now worked at the practice for 15 years. Having experienced life at all levels within the practice, she knows how quickly a difficult conversation or a pressured day can affect someone.
“Sometimes patients may be upset or confrontational, and you want that safe space where you can just take a moment.”
When Dr Meera Pillai joined the practice as GP Partner in October 2021, she brought with her a strong passion for promoting staff wellbeing and maintaining high morale. With this in mind, she introduced the idea of using the meeting room as a dedicated wellbeing and exercise space whenever it wasn’t needed for meetings. This idea was then bough to life by creating a wellbeing room where staff could take some time out, relax and recharge. The room was equipped with exercise equipment , along with posters and helpful reminders promoting simple ways to support mental wellbeing, giving staff the opportunity to make use of the space during their breaks.
As part of their commitment to supporting staff health, the staff kitchen was relocated from the ground floor to the second floor to be next to the wellbeing room. This simple change encouraged staff to be more active during the working day by increasing their daily step count, while also providing a space where colleagues can come together, take a break, and support one another.
Wellbeing / Meeting Room (Picture gallery here)
This space became the practice’s wellbeing room around 18 months ago. The room includes an exercise bike, mats, simple workout equipment and information based around the Five Ways to Wellbeing. Staff can take the time to exercise or meditate, but they can also use it to sit quietly, have a drink or briefly step away from a difficult situation. There is also a suggestion box for staff to put their ideas or suggestions to help improve the work environment further.
It is available to the whole team, including reception and administrative staff, clinicians and GPs.
“It is a haven where staff can come if they are feeling stressed. The things in the room may look small, but they can make a huge difference.”
Lisa regularly sees members of the team use ten minutes of their lunch break on the exercise bike, doing bodyweight exercises or utilising the space to sit quietly. By making use of the space, members of the team return to work feeling refreshed, focused and some have even started encouraging others to take part, exercise and make healthier choices.
For staff dealing with a demanding workload or a difficult interaction, even a few minutes away can help them return with a clearer mind.
“They have had that time out, so they come back feeling more refreshed and with a little more strength to deal with the next situation that comes along.”
Dr Pillai also tries to incorporate a 10 minute meditation for all the staff at the end of the clinical and staff meetings to help with mental wellbeing.
Dr Pillai and Lisa operate an open-door policy, welcoming any staff member who wants to talk. They are always happy to listen, provide support, and help find a solution as quickly as possible, with the aim of promoting positive staff morale and well being.
From Results to Wellbeing
The room is only one part of the practice’s approach to developing a culture of wellbeing. Alongside the wellbeing room, Lisa has made wellbeing a core discussion in staff appraisals. Alongside the usual conversations about targets, achievements and development, staff are asked how they are feeling, whether anything outside work is affecting them and what they are interested in developing personally.
Lisa believes these changes have helped staff feel more comfortable approaching her or other members of the team when something is happening in their lives. When a staff member feels more able to speak honestly, the wider team are better placed to offer support, make changes or signpost towards further help if necessary.
What has changed?
Lisa has seen the wellbeing room create wider conversations across the practice. Staff are encouraging one another to exercise, make healthier choices and spend more time together as a team outside of work, including meals out and other activities.
For Lisa, this reflects something bigger than the room itself.
“They can see that you are trying to make a difference, even through something small. Having this room has created conversations and keeps that good relationship building, and that’s what it’s all about.”.
Why should other practices consider making wellbeing a priority?
Lisa’s message to other Practice Managers is that they do not need a large budget or a perfect solution to begin looking at the wellbeing of their staff. Not every practice will have a spare room, but the idea can be adapted. It could mean creating a quieter area, reviewing appraisal questions, protecting a short amount of time after a difficult interaction or simply asking staff what would help them most.
By making wellbeing visible, accessible and easy, you give staff permission to use the support that is available to them.
“We are quite a small practice compared with others, and we have made it work. As long as you put your mind to it and think about your staff, it can be done.”
What practical changes can I make now?
Practices considering their own approach could begin by:
- asking staff what would help them during a difficult or pressured day
- identifying a space where people can briefly step away from the day-to-day
- adding meaningful wellbeing questions to appraisals and one-to-ones
- ensure sure staff know they are genuinely able to access support
- involving the team in deciding what should happen next
How can the Training Hub support your practice?
Our Health and Wellbeing Team can help practices across Coventry and Warwickshire identify practical ways to support their workforce. This could include a visit to your practice, a wellbeing session for your team, support for your Health and Wellbeing Champion, practical resources or help identifying a realistic place to start.
To discuss what could work for your team, contact our team here
