Our fourth Mindfulness course aimed at supporting the health and wellbeing of CHFT colleagues begins on 12 August. It's free and open to all. 

 

Almost 50 colleagues from a wide range of disciplines, grades and sites across CHFT have attended the three courses that have previously been run. 

 

The six week course is a partnership event run by Workforce Wellbeing and Chaplaincy, who are trying to offer courses at different times and locations to make them as accessible as possible. 

 

Drop-in sessions were requested by previous attendees who wanted something to help them maintain and develop their mindfulness practice after completing the six week course. So after the course has completed we now offer these by invitation.

 

The next course starts on Friday 12 August, at the Learning & Development Centre at HRI. Sessions are 10am-11.30am.

 

If you'd like to attend you can book a place to attend by contacting Gemma Stokes in Occupational Health Tel: 01422 222 037 or email occupational.healthCHT@cht.nhs.uk 

 

Please talk to your manager if the course falls during your working day.

 

To find out more about Mindfulness: 

 

NHS Choices mindfulness resources

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/mindfulness.aspx

 

TED Talk on 10 mindful minutes (10 mins)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzR62JJCMBQ

 

DCI Mark Preston, Major Crime Team, Surrey & Sussex Police Force has written a short piece about how mindfulness has supported him......(he's not in the health service but he is public sector an) 

 

"The demands being made on public sector workers are increasing. It’s very hard when you can see the impact of these pressures bearing down on your staff, for whom you feel responsible. Policing is more than a full-time job, on top of which I feel as though I have a particularly hectic private life.

 

Since I started practising mindfulness in 2013, I’ve noticed that I’m calmer and more likely to feel compassionate towards victims, witnesses and even offenders.

 

Learning that I have a choice as to how I respond to something has helped remove the causes of some of my stresses in life. Mindfulness has also helped me to de-escalate conflict and to deal with everything happening in my life – I honestly believe it has helped me become a better father and husband, but also a better leader for those I’m honoured to lead."