Bright Charity awarded £200,000 to deliver vital wellbeing support to NHS staff 

Bright Northumbria Healthcare Charity will be able to provide crucial support to help improve the wellbeing of local NHS staff, both now and in the future, thanks to a grant of £201,815 from NHS Charities Together and NHS England.

The grant has been awarded as part of an £11 million programme – which includes a £5 million contribution from NHS England – and is one of 61 ambitious projects across England to receive funding from the programme since its launch in 2024.

Through this funding, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will enhance and expand their existing Safe, Fit and Well programme, helping staff improve their physical and mental wellbeing through tailored, one-to-one support.

Building on a successful pilot, it is expanding into a proactive service that identifies and supports those at risk of ill health or sickness absence earlier. The enhanced offer will include targeted interventions, up to 1,000 Mini MOT health checks each year, and personalised support to encourage long-term, sustainable behaviour change.

Participants will have supervised 1-1 activity sessions that work towards achieving personal goals, a 6-12-week structured programme under the guidance of a qualified exercise professional, and weekly check-ins to assess and monitor progress.

The support also includes a social prescribing element, in which the team identifies local group for service users to attend, combatting loneliness.

These projects will help ensure that NHS staff have the support they need to continue to provide the best possible care for patients when it matters most.

Rob Graham, Head of Bright Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together and NHS England for this funding.

“Our new project will expand Northumbria Safe, Fit & Well into a proactive, preventative programme that supports staff to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through early intervention, tailored support and targeted health checks.

“All of which will enable us to help more colleagues stay well, reduce sickness absence and build a healthier, more resilient workforce.”

Ellie Orton, CEO, NHS Charities Together, comments: “Winter flu season may be coming to a close, but with huge pressure on health services continuing to impact those who care for us, it’s vital that NHS staff receive the tools and support needed to look after their own health and wellbeing.

“We’re proud to be supporting NHS charities like Bright with funding that has the potential to make a positive difference to our hardworking NHS staff.”

Evaluation and learnings from these projects will be used to inform future rounds of funding to support NHS staff wellbeing and to ensure that all projects are sustainable and have a lasting legacy to benefit the workforce both now and in the future.