Publish date: 26 May 2023
NHS staff across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire were encouraged to take part in a wellbeing festival to support their health and wellbeing.
This year, Mental Health Awareness Week took place from 15 – 21 May with a nationwide focus on 'anxiety'.
Organised by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), the week-long festival was packed with a range of webinars, lunch and learns, and pre-recorded videos to support its staff and their mental health and wellbeing.
Staff had access to a range of activities that covered all aspects of health and wellbeing, from financial support, wellness drop-in sessions, laughter yoga, and help and advice to maintain positive mental wellbeing.
Dominic Hardisty, Chief Executive at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust said: “It is more important than ever that staff take some time to think about themselves and to look after their health and wellbeing. We feel this is essential to ensure we have the individual and collective resilience needed to continue providing the best care we can to our patients.
“We held different sessions each day throughout the week to give as many staff as possible the chance to access some help and support which could benefit them, their colleagues and their friends and family at home too.”
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) provides healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism in inpatient and community-based settings. We service a population of around 1.8 million across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.
