Background As a result of the pandemic, the hospice’s approach to supporting and engaging with staff and volunteers concerning resilience and wellbeing has evolved significantly over the past 18 months. There has been a clear need to be responsive, proactive, creative and engaging whilst encouraging staff and volunteers to take responsibility for developing their own resilience.

Aims

• To have regular engagement with staff (furloughed and not) to offer appropriate support.

• To be responsive to and anticipate the needs of the workforce, offering creative and wide-ranging options.

• To align with and support wellbeing initiatives across Somerset.

Methods Wide-ranging approaches from weekly webinars, virtual staff gatherings, taster and regular classes, learning opportunities, and a core resilience programme for managers, focusing on all aspects of resilience.

Results Staff resilience was measured initially by weekly ‘temperature checks’ and then the ‘emotions thermometer’ which was introduced as the length and impact of the pandemic continued. We then adapted the offer to match the need. Staff understanding of their needs developed from support to wellbeing and then into resilience.

Unintended consequences – greater take up for clinical supervision and new online clinical update and education sessions created, linking across departments and services.

Reduction in sickness or attrition. New starters commented on level of support on offer at their three-months reviews.

Adaptive learning - Not all sessions were well attended but we continued to run them to be visible before deciding to finish one activity and shift to another approach.

Conclusion The ongoing programme continues to connect and engage with staff – mental health, wellbeing and resilience are part of everyone’s conversations. Staff stay connected and reach out – different staff are able to engage with different activities. The offer continues to be collaborative, involving colleagues from spiritual care, fundraising, supportive care and HR, which makes it more sustainable and relevant.