Staff Wellbeing

The wellbeing of staff matters.

It matters because staff are human beings.

It matters because the wellbeing of other people rely on healthy staff.

For decades staff wellbeing has been governed by a framework that focuses on duty of care, safety, and non-discrimination.  

This was not everyone’s experience and my Staff Support Timeline shows the historical shifts I've experienced whilst working in staff support. 

 I have listened to many staff who felt unsupported, and sometimes intimidated, whilst operating inside ‘impossible’ systems.  

NOW we are in a period of transition. Staff support is being more fully recognised as essential. Organisations' Employee Resource Groups, Employee Assistance, Peer Mentoring, Supportive Supervision etc have been around for a long while, but have not always met people's needs. The recent NHS Staff Standards are part of this culture shift.

In July 2026, the NHS Staff Standards set national minimum employment requirements to improve staff experience, outlining employer actions and what staff can expect.

I’m excited about the wealth of resources, frameworks and materials available to help people feel at their best.

People operating inside traditionally rigid, slow-changing systems, describe witnessing inconsistent changes. This can feel unsettling as health and social care managers, leaders and staff are learning what the standards really mean in practice. So, hold on to your glimmer of hope. 

The Shift 

For many individuals, workplace stress had long been framed as a personal shortcoming - something to manage better, cope with more effectively, or to withstand more robustly. This led to a ‘coping culture’ which was never a sustainable model.

Even in 2025, my surveys across different care settings showed:

• Self-blame for emotional exhaustion was common.
• Doubt about one’s capability was widespread.
• The thought of leaving a loved profession was increasing.

In 2026 there is far more hope!

Recent conversations show increasing clarity about what belongs where. People are more able to articulate what they have been experiencing for a very long time:

• The conditions themselves are extraordinarily demanding.
• It is not irrational to feel the strain in a difficult system.
• It is not failure to feel overwhelmed by the competing, often incompatible demands.
• The system needs to change.

 "Staff can expect their organisation to protect their health, safety and wellbeing at work. Employers are responsible for supporting staff wellbeing, preventing ill-health associated with work and helping staff to feel safe, cared for and able to perform well. " 

July 2026 NHS Staff Standards