Platform Member Commitments

Platform member commitments

Organisation / Short Summary of members commitments
Joined 1ST Platform Meeting – 9 June 2010
Centrica British Gas / The implementation of a branded, cohesive health and wellbeing programme across the British Gas employee base which delivers improvement in the health and wellbeing of their people. This will require additional new investment, and the development of a number of new strategic partnerships.
The programme comprises a new corporate partnership to deliver on-line and face to face health checks (to be trialled in the East Midlands) for 27,000 employees and support for a physical activity programme for 10,000 employees in 2010. This will also be the basis for sponsoring 10,000 school children to increase their physical activity.
A survey will be undertaken in conjunction with Lancaster University to study the impacts of physical activity on improved health and wellbeing of employees. At the same time, links with Change4life will be developed around building messages and resource into the programme’s scope.
Shoe Zone / The commitment will bring together all Healthier Workforce ideas under the new FIT ZONE banner. It combines increased promotion of existing health and wellbeing facilities with the introduction of a number of new initiatives.
New initiatives include ladies only time in the gym; personal trainer led exercise sessions; cheaper healthier food in the canteen; fitness tests and education on lifestyle changes; promoting cycling to work; the development of external and group employee activities.
An employee needs assessment/survey is also proposed at regular intervals to help make informed decisions on additional support that staff would like and to measure the programme’s success.
Walkers Charnwood Bakery / The introduction of a new programme for employees called ‘An 8 week step in the right direction’ which is an exciting, time specific initiative to provide goals for individuals with rewards. In addition to raising the profile of health and wellbeing, it will also enhance teamwork, motivation and interaction.
The programme is incentivised with prizes and covers a wide range of weigh-ins/ targeted Health Assessments/ Nutritional Advice. Occupational Health support and a revised approach to restaurant facilities are key features along with exploring a more active approach for employees getting to work.
Employees will be constantly monitored for health improvements and consulted for their views on how to improve the experience and encourage accountability.
Slimming World / Employee weight loss and improving their health through sponsored membership of the Slimming World programmes. Two elements of the commitment are:
Slimming World is offering for their own employees, vouchers for 12 weeks’ attendance at group meetings free of charge. The scheme is entirely voluntary and employees who do not want to attend group sessions could take up the option of joining Slimming World online via www.bodyoptimise.com for 3 months.
The second aspect is to pilot a ‘Working Well with Slimming World’ initiative, the aim of which is to work closely with two East Midlands employers in developing a comprehensive and effective healthy lifestyle change model based on Slimming World’s methods. This includes funding a research project for 200 employees and collecting data to evidence the effectiveness and improved productivity and profitability of a healthy lifestyle weight management programme for employers. A key aim is to test practicalities and effectiveness of in-house weight management groups versus community groups of employees’ choice.
Nuffield Health / The commitment does not involve the health and wellbeing of Nuffield Health’s own staff but is based on the provision of its services to address the health and wellbeing of both the public and corporate communities.
It comprises a free annual programme of community ‘Meet the Experts’ events focused on obesity and targeted at key East Midlands ‘hotspots’; a range of health prizes for community events which will include health assessments and advice; complementary passes to fitness and wellbeing centres.
In addition, free corporate health and wellbeing consultations are being offered to local businesses who are members of the Platform with follow up support on how to develop or improve their health and wellbeing strategies.
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health / The commitment is being delivered under the new programme of ‘Let’s Get IOSH Moving Forward Together’ and will be run for all Head Office employees based in Leicester. A number of objectives have been set following a staff survey using the British Heart Foundation ‘Think Fit’ resource pack.
Objectives include health assessments; health walks; exercise classes and possible reduced cost gym membership; health education and weight management. IOSH have actively sought support from their local authority – Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.
Once the programme is up and running, progress and success will be evaluated for all objectives and the results published to the 37,000 IOSH membership.
NHS East Midlands (SHA) / NHS East Midlands is committed to improving the quality of working life for all of our employees. This includes recognition that balancing work and home life is a key consideration for all.
The main aims of “FIT” - the EMSHA Staff Well-being Programme are:
  Improving organisational behaviours and performance
  Achieving an exemplar service
  Embedding staff health and wellbeing into systems and infrastructure
And in line with the recent Boorman review on NHS staff health and wellbeing.
1. All PCTs have been asked to include a plan for their health community to improve workplace wellness, based on the recommendations of the NHS Health and Wellbeing Review and set local targets for reduction of sickness absence in their Local Operating Plan submission.
2. Facilitate a network of NHS workplace wellbeing leads.
3. To explore the feasibility of including the regional 'guidance in developing healthier catering and hospitality checklist' in the contracts developed by the Regional Procurement Hub.
Soil Association / To bring together and facilitate a meeting between a SW based Nursery working to Food For Life (FFL) Accredited standards on their food offer, to share learning, best practice, information and networking with circa 22 East Midlands Nurseries involved in the recent sampling research and other targeted nurseries as appropriate. This would be a starting point for exploration of further potential shared working and skills sharing opportunities with a view to having a minimum of 5 of those nurseries progress to the bronze standard catering mark, by May 2011, with the support of the Soil Association and its partners.
University of
Lincoln / To provide independent evaluation support for members of the Platform engaging in health projects involving physical activity and health eating. Services include: tailored project advice; ethical procedures; possible provision aid with delivery/resources; and assistance with the monitoring/reporting the project findings
Joined 2nd Platform meeting– 15 October 2010
Derby County Football Club / To improve the health, wellbeing and worklife balance of Derby County Football Club employees by providing information about healthy lifestyles, creating opportunities for physical activity and providing access to preventative services, enabling people to work happily and healthily to their full potential.
We will commit to build on work already undertaken in the area of health and wellbeing and begin to manage this within a more formal and targeted health and wellbeing framework and strategy. We will help staff to gain a greater understanding of their individual levels of health and fitness through initiatives and interventions delivered in the workplace.
Derby County in the Community / Derby County in the Community staff will work with children in local schools to teach them more about being healthy, fit and active. The programme supports and promotes healthy lifestyles with the main aim of tackling rising obesity rates in two geographic areas. The programme is free of charge to the children and is delivered with a primary focus on children in Year 5.
The project is a six week programme of physical activity and classroom lessons in 106 schools across 2 School Sports Partnerships (Amber Valley and Erewash). The six week block of work incorporates mini leaders and positive play activities during school lunches. Curriculum sessions are both practical and classroom based with sessions delivered on health, diet, nutrition and benefits of exercise. The after-school provision is a multi-skill based practical session. Each school over the 6 weeks benefits from 4 additional learning hours per class.
Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / Derby Hospitals have made a commitment to improve the health of both their staff and patients by introducing the following:
For staff
·  2012 ‘Be Inspiring’ campaign, where staff pledge to achieve something linked to the 2012 Olympics, such as losing weight/swimming 2012 lengths or cycling 2012 kilometres.
·  Regular blood pressure/diabetes testing drop in sessions and introduction of a new weight reduction class to give staff a choice or weight loss regime
·  Healthy eating campaigns with a healthy choice and calorie counted option on the restaurant menu. Onsite shops to have healthy eating options available, such as fruit and low fat meals and sandwiches
·  Campaign to promote staff walking including: maps/pedometers to encourage staff to be more active whilst at work; to take the stairs instead of the lift with a step and calorie count on each floor.
For patients
·  Regular health awareness campaigns on blood testing, diabetes etc to raise awareness and prevention.
·  Walking events for bariatric patients. And encouraging all patients to take part in Charity Events such as the Jingle Jog and Derby 10k events.
·  Healthy eating campaigns with a healthy choice option on the menu in the restaurant which is calorie counted. Onsite shops/vending machines to have healthy eating options available, such as fruit and low fat meals and sandwiches.
Derby Hospitals will also share the good practice with other Platform members.
Greencore / To review and improve healthy option offerings in staff restaurants across 5 Greencore sites.
This will involve working with a newly appointed contract caterer to develop new healthy eating recipes and options suitable for each restaurant and to develop ways of communicating and promoting these to consumers. The uptake of the healthy options will be monitored with sales data and a questionnaire to assess the effect on customers on their eating behaviour. This will be monitored over a period of six months post launch. Greencore will also be able to share general learning’s and experience with other members of the platform, and as appropriate learning from their food-first programme
Groundwork – East Midlands / Groundwork East Midlands supports 6 local Groundwork Trusts in the region, Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield & Mansfield; Groundwork Derby, Derbyshire; Groundwork Greater Nottingham; Groundwork Leicester, Leicestershire; Groundwork Lincolnshire; Groundwork Northamptonshire. Groundwork East Midlands has committed to taking two actions as follows:
1. To bring the 6 Groundwork Trusts together (Project Managers and Development Managers) creating a regional working group to share best practice, learn and discuss their activities in the area of health, food and activity on a regular basis with information gathered and shared in an online forum/tool. The regional working group will also undertake the joint programme below.
2. To develop a joint programme with all 6 Trusts working with NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) groups of young people. The aim of the joint programme will be to develop local food initiatives and provide horticultural accreditations, and create community champions to support households and the community in healthy eating behaviour.
Food Initiatives Group – (Groundwork – Greater Nottingham) / To design and implement a novel pilot intergenerational healthy eating, food memories and food mapping project. The aims of the project will be to:
·  Map access to healthy food in Killisick
·  Improve cooking skills, and therefore diets, of young people.
·  Improve diets of older people with an emphasis on salt reduction and nutrition
·  Create a sound cultural and social base for healthy eating through shared experiences
Let’s Get Cooking / To develop and provide a course of 3 training workshops in healthy eating and cooking to employees of Platform member organisations, and further courses at cost. Sessions will be used to met employee needs engage and train employees in basic cooking skills and healthy eating.
The programme will be evaluated to measure the impact it has had on employee healthy eating behaviour and also to assess the viability of Lets Get Cooking sessions to be extended from schools in to the workplace and other settings.
Natural England / Promote healthy lifestyles among employees, volunteer walk leaders and walk participants.
·  Provide healthy eating information in the delegate packs for cascade trainers and walk leaders
·  Create a health intranet page with a different health focus each month.
·  Offer free walk leader training and support to other platform organisations wishing to set up health walks.
Sustrans – East Midlands / There are two elements to this commitment: 1) To lead a workshop on the value of sourcing products and services that will increase active travel (cycling and walking etc) and reduce carbon emissions.
2) To support other platform member organisations in developing active travel plans and look at the steps they need to take to enable their employees to travel actively; increase their physical activity in travelling to and from and for work purposes.
Nottingham City Council / To develop, implement and share a whole council food policy for Nottingham City Council including all of its food-related functions. The ultimate aim of this policy is to improve the diet and nutrition of Nottingham City Council employees and service users and to be an exemplar of good practise in this area. This will involve:
·  Finalising the writing of a comprehensive healthy food policy to cover all of the functions of the City Council e.g. vending, catering
·  Implementing the policy through planned delivery throughout the City Council and its target group of service users and suppliers - including council establishments where food is delivered to vulnerable groups such as children, older people and people with learning disabilities.
·  Sharing the emerging best practice and lessons learnt from the development of the policy with Platform members and interested parties in the East Midlands and wider. This will be done through individual organisation or group sessions as appropriate.