It is important to recognise that good health and wellbeing for the workforce involves elements of both the employer's responsibility and the individuals personal responsibility.
This part of the website provides information and sources of support that individuals can access and use to inform their approach to their personal health and wellbeing.
Healthy Lifestyle
For some simple steps to help yourself and others to health - please see the attached document at the bottom of this page.
For information from the NHS on Healthy Lifestyle advice click here
Walking Your Way to Health
Click here for more information on the Leicester City Council walking for health scheme that has been introduced
Fitness
Leicester City Council has introduced lifestyle fitness suites at 8 of its leisure centres.
Healthy Eating Guidelines
The key message of the eatwell plate is a balance of foods which should be consumed to achieve a good healthy diet
Breathing Exercise
When an individual is experiencing anxiety and stress they forget to breathe deeply and properly and only breathe shallowly. This causes adverse physical symptoms. Here are some simple breathing exercises that will help. Yoga and pilates incorporate proper breathing in their techniques.
Sleep
For useful tips on helping you to sleep please click here
Active Listening
Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others. For more information on becoming a better active listener, see the attachment below.
Mental Health
Research shows that between 15-20% of the workforce will have a mental health problem of some kind. Research has shown that whilst mental health problems are common, most mental health problems are relatively mild in their effects and are dealt with by family doctor and primary health care services without professional psychiatric help. These mild to moderate mental health problems are often referred to as common mental health problems.
Evidence shows that stress management techniques improve peoples ability to cope with stress, and to avoid stressful situations at work. Techniques that have been found useful include: learning problem solving skills and exercise and relaxation. More information can be found on the Managing and Coping with Change section of this website. Research has also shown that when common mental health problems are being experienced by individuals and these are affecting their work, then brief individual therapy of up to 8 sessions can work well. Most employers will offer this through their occupational health or counselling services, such as Amica, which is part of the NHS University Hospitals of Leicester, and provide a counselling and psychological support service. This support is initially given over the phone, but face-to-face counselling may also be required. Health Management Ltd provide the provision of occupational health for Leicester City Council.
If you are experiencing mental health problems that are affecting your work whether or not you think they are caused by work you can also find more information on this website provides information about proven techniques that could help you.
For practical steps to help protect and promote mental health and wellbeing see this advice leaflet.
LAMP direct is a community site that brings you information about the latest mental health services for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This includes a directory to help you get access to information for yourself or someone you are caring for who is in mental distress.
Crossroads Care is a Leicester mental health carers project which offers emotional and practical support for carers of adults with mental health problems living in Leicester City.
Stress Management
You can consider whether or not you are experiencing undue stress and the source of this by undertaking the stress questionnaire as a test to diagnose your own stress levels. Do remember that this is only going to give you an indication and that you may wish to consider obtaining professional advice or counselling to assist you to manage levels of stress.
For more information see Managing and Coping with Change.
Sources of help for other specific problems:
Debt Help
This site provides practical advice on ways to control debts as well as being able to obtain expert help.
Coping with Illness
This page provides information to support individuals who are coping with illness.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a safeguarding issue as it is about protecting victims/survivors and their family from further harm and abuse. Many people are not aware of the support services that are available in Leicester through the Domestic Violence Forum Partnership which has produced a number of publications which are relevant for employees and service users. More information is available on the attached link, including a contact phone number
Victim Support is an independent national charity giving help to victims of crime, witnesses, their family, friends and anyone else affected across England and Wales. It is an independent charity set up about 35 years ago who work closely with the Police and other parts of the criminal justice system.
