Wakefield's 'Healthy Working Lives' initiative shortlisted for national health and wellbeing award

Pictured: (Left) Phillip Marshall, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development and Co-Responsible Officer (Right) Dr Linda Harris, Chief Executive at Spectrum Community Health CIC and Co-Responsible Officer

The Wakefield Place Workforce Transformation Hub has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award in recognition of its innovative work to improve the health and wellbeing of health and care staff across the district.

The team has been shortlisted in the Health and Wellbeing category at the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) Excellence in People Awards, for its ‘Healthy Working Lives’ initiative, which showcases the collective efforts of health and care organisations across Wakefield to support workforce wellbeing and create healthier working environments.

As part of the judging process, Dr Linda Harris, Chief Executive at Spectrum Community Health CIC, Dominic Blaydon, Wakefield Place PMO Lead, and Phillip Marshall, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, presented the programme to judges last week, highlighting the positive impact of the Healthy Working Lives initiative across Wakefield.

Phillip Marshall, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Co-Responsible Officer, said:

"We are delighted to have been shortlisted for a national HPMA Award. This recognition reflects the commitment and innovation shown by partners across our health and care system in Wakefield.”

The shortlisting follows previous national success for the Wakefield Place Workforce Transformation Hub, who won the 2024 HSJ Jobs Award for Systems Workforce Planning and Development.

Phillip continued: “Supporting the health and wellbeing of our workforce is vital to delivering high-quality care for our communities, and it was a privilege to share our work with the judging panel.
"We were able to clearly demonstrate the benefits that our Healthy Working Lives programme has delivered, and we are incredibly proud that these efforts have been recognised at this national level.”

Dr Linda Harris, Chief Executive at Spectrum Community Health CIC and Co-Responsible Officer, said:

“We are delighted that Wakefield’s Healthy Working Lives initiative has been shortlisted for this prestigious national award.

“I am incredibly proud of the strong collaboration across our health and care partners, which has placed staff health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. This recognition highlights the real difference we are making to the lives of our workforce, supporting them to thrive and, in turn, deliver the best possible care for the people of Wakefield.”

The Healthy Working Lives programme is a collaborative initiative bringing together health and care organisations across Wakefield to improve staff health, wellbeing and working environments. Through a coordinated approach, it offers support such as social prescribing, mentoring, return-to-work pathways and access to musculoskeletal (MSK) services. These interventions help staff maintain their physical and mental wellbeing, access tailored support, and stay healthy and engaged at work. The programme reflects Wakefield's commitment to creating healthier workplaces and supporting a resilient workforce that delivers high-quality care to local communities.

The winners will be announced at the HPMA Awards ceremony later this year.