We are currently reviewing the support we have on offer to all staff and volunteers at Ashgate Hospicecare. As a hospice we are acutely aware that the trauma experienced at work can and does impact on individual health and well-being and we want to facilitate an ongoing discussion around experiences at work, for all our staff.

A recent staff and volunteer survey highlighted concerns around staff well-being and we want to make sure the support services we have in place are effective and accessible to all, and as a result we are creating a campaign to engage individuals in patient-facing roles in a discussion about clinical support and reflective practice and what it means for them.

The campaign will prompt the ‘Ashgate Team’ to explore the importance of supervision, support and reflective practice in relation to the parts of the role they already feel important, for example patient care – it will also give the Team a preview of the different streams of support that will be on offer as we implement a new support package, for example, clinical supervision, reflective practice sessions (both group and individual) and educational session in relation to self-care. (We currently have a successful ‘Schwartz Round’ programme, with sessions well attended each month).

The campaign will also reinforce the message that Ashgate Hospicecare values individual well-being and understands that individuals need the time to engage in reflection and supervision, ensuring that staff and volunteers feel able to take time to focus on themselves and each other.

When developing our campaign, we have engaged in conversation with both staff and volunteers and other service providers and hospices to ensure that the support services we provide best meet the needs of our staff and volunteers. We plan to have different streams of support, some mandatory (clinical supervision) and others that can be utilised as and when required.