News and events
Darzi makes staff health and well-being a key NHS priority
25 June 2009
One year on from the launch of his vision for a renewed health service, Lord Darzi has made staff health and well-being a key pillar of progress in the NHS.
Today’s publication of High Quality Care for All: Our Journey So Far sets out that the health and well-being of NHS staff will be paramount in the years ahead.
In pursuit of Lord Darzi’s vision to transform the NHS from a sickness to a wellness service that is a world leader in promoting healthy behaviour, staff will become ambassadors for healthier lifestyles.
Lord Darzi underlines the key importance of the the final recommendations of Dr Steve Boorman’s Review of health and well-being in the NHS due later this year, and welcomes the Review’s progress in informing the NHS’s broader commitment to improving the health and well-being of staff.
The report states: “The NHS is on a mission to transform itself from a service focused on treating sickness to one that also promotes health and well-being. As the largest employer in the country, there is no better place to start with this agenda than with our own staff. Not only is a healthy workforce important for our own wellbeing and productivity, but it will also make NHS staff the best ambassadors for promoting healthy living to the patients they care for and the public with whom they engage. We are committed to this agenda and it is therefore essential that we all start to role-model healthy behaviours ourselves.
“Therefore, just as we are increasing our focus on more preventive measures for our patients and the wider public, so too should we reconsider our approach to the health of NHS staff.27 Rather than relying solely on occupational health services, we need to move towards a broader commitment to improving health and well-being across the workplace. That is why Steve Boorman’s ongoing review into the health and well-being of NHS staff is of such importance. The review will report in the autumn and I want to encourage as many people as possible across the NHS to get involved as the recommendations are finalised, as they will go on to inform the 2010/11 Operating Framework.”
Please find the full report along with Lord Darzi’s letter to the Service introducing the report. - click here
Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham KBE
