Coronavirus: colleague wellbeing
Last updated: 15/06/2020
At Longhurst Group we understand the importance of supporting colleagues with their health and wellbeing, as well as enhancing their economic resilience.
To support colleagues going forwards, as well as helping you through these challenging times, we have introduced a a new employee assistance programme to support colleagues.
We've also teamed up with the Centre for Financial Education to offer all colleagues free access to up-to-date financial information that is relevant to you.
Below is the information for each of these workplace benefits, with details on what they are and how you can access them. Both services are available for all colleagues and are completely confidential.
If you have any questions about either of these workplace benefits, please contact the People Services Team.
Our workplace benefits for you
Employee Assistance Programme
As a Group we have introduced a new employee assistance programme to help colleagues through these challenging times.
Provided by Westfield Health, the EASE programme provides colleagues with immediate access to professional help with a whole range of issues, including
- Stress
- Depression
- Family difficulties
- Medical advice
- Consumer disputes
- Bereavement.
If you’re worried about something or need some expert advice, this free, confidential service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Help is just a phone call away with a team of friendly, qualified Counsellors, Medical Advisors and Lawyers on hand to offer free and confidential advice on legal, medical and domestic issues.
Each telephone session can last up to an hour and you can continue to work with the same counsellor by arranging convenient appointments for future sessions.
To access these services, call the 24-hour freephone helpline on 0800 092 0987 (call charges may apply from some networks) or 01455 255 123 (call charges will apply for this number).
You will need to quote a Longhurst Group scheme number. This number is: 72114.
Quoting this number will not identify you and no personal information relating to your call will be released to anybody else at Longhurst Group.
Important information
- This is a confidential service and the content of your consultations will not be divulged unless there is a serious risk to you or someone else.
- This is not an emergency service and will not provide diagnosis or prescribe treatments.
- This service cannot give advice on employment disputes.
The 24-hour Counselling and Information Line and counselling sessions are provided by Westfield Health in conjunction with Health Assured.
If you have any questions about the Employee Assistance Programme, please contact People Services.
Open Access
We've teamed up with the Centre for Financial Education to offer all colleagues free access to up-to-date financial information that is relevant to you.
We’ve worked with the Centre for Financial Education for several years and have received consistently positive feedback from colleagues who have used their services.
The service is entirely confidential and free to use and will be available throughout 2020.
The impartial information provided does not replace financial advice but should give you the tools and knowledge you need to make informed decisions or ask the right questions.
Contact the Open Access Service by e-mail: longhurst@cfed.co.uk
Employers for Carers
We are excited to announce that, as part of our commitment to Harry’s Pledge, we have signed up to the Carers UK’s, Employers for Carers network.
This means colleagues can now access a range of resources that can help support those who juggle work and care.
Our commitment to carers
Employers for Carers (EfC) has evolved from a pioneering group of employers committed to working carers and is backed-up by the specialist knowledge of Carers UK. Its key purpose is to ensure that employers have the support to retain and manage employees with caring responsibilities.
Launched in 2009, EfC now has over 160 member organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors. The total number of employees covered by member organisations is now above the two million mark. The number of working carers represented is likely to be in the region of 270,000.
Every day, about 6,000 people become carers, looking after family or friends who are older, disabled or seriously ill.
Around 1 in 9 employees juggle work with caring for older, seriously ill or disabled loved ones and, without the right support, as many as 1 in 6 carers will have to give up work or reduce their working hours to care.
These stats highlight the importance of supporting carers and why, as an organisation, we are so committed to Harry’s Pledge.
If you are a carer, get the support you need with the Carers Digital hub www.carersdigital.org using our free access code: DGTL1745.
For information on how you can support carers, sign up for your own account on the Employers for Carers digital hub www.efcdigital.org, our membership code is #EFC1745.
Are you looking after someone?
At Longhurst Group, we have teamed up with Carers UK to offer carers in our organisation free access to a wide range of online resources to help make caring easier.
Jointly makes caring for someone a little easier, less stressful and a lot more organised by making communication and coordination simpler between those who are sharing the care.
Creating a free Jointly account
To use Jointly for free, you must first create an account on the Jointly website and redeem the access code.
1. Visit www.jointlyapp.com and click ‘Sign up’
2. A new page will appear, complete the form, and press ‘Sign up’ again at the bottom
3. Click ‘Create a new circle’ and select ‘Use Free Access Code’
4. Enter the code DGTL1745 and click ‘Redeem’.
Then you can download the app and log in with the details you used to register. (Or you can just use Jointly via the website).
Sharing care is easier when you do it Jointly.
Additional support
Below are details of charities and not-for-profit organisations who offer health and wellbeing support or financial support and advice.
Your first stop for better Mental Health at Work.
MHFA England is the only provider of licensed Mental Health First Aid Instructor Training in England.
The Good Grief Trust exists to help all those suffering grief in the UK. They aim to find the bereaved, acknowledge their grief and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support.
Samaritans works to make sure there's always someone there for anyone who needs someone.
People with lived experience of mental health problems are at the heart of our campaign to end stigma and discrimination.
Helping frontline colleagues to manage their mental health and wellbeing.
MindEd have selected the best advice and tips from their large panel of international experts. It’s been created with NHS Health Education England in partnership with NHS England-Improvement, supported by Skills for Care.
Our children are facing a mental health crisis. We're determined to make sure every young person gets the support they deserve. So many young people are struggling. We need to help them before they reach crisis point.
As part of their Every Mind Matters campaign, MIND have put together 10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus.
We campaign and influence, driven by people with personal experience of mental illness, we campaign nationally and locally to push mental health up the public agenda and change government policy for the better.
If you’ve experienced hate crime, sexual violence or domestic abuse, we’re here for you. We also support lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people who have had problems with the police or have questions about the criminal justice system.
We believe that no-one affected by mental illness should face crisis, distress or despair completely alone. SANEline is a national out-of-hours mental health helpline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. We are open every day of the year from 4.30pm to 10.30pm on 0300 304 7000.
No Panic is a registered charity which helps people who suffer from panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders and other related anxiety disorders including those people who are trying to give up Tranquillizers. No Panic also provides support for the carers of people who suffer from anxiety disorders.
A grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated.
A confidential helpline, email and webchat service for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them.
Get information, help and support after rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse.
An international mutual aid fellowship with the stated purpose of enabling its members to "stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety".
Acceptance without exception. Stonewall campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people across Britain.
Refuge supports women,children & men experiencing domestic violence with a range of services.
The UK's eating disorder charity. They exist to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.
A charity which offers free information and advice to anyone who has been affected by a death. Provides support and counseling in groups and one to one. Offers education, support, information and publications to anyone supporting bereaved people.
Action on Smoking is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.
The BNF provide impartial, evidence-based information on food and nutrition. Our core purpose is to make nutrition science accessible to all.
The BHF's vision is a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. We fund research to keep hearts beating and blood flowing.
Whatever cancer throws your way, we're right there with you. We provide physical, emotional and financial support to help you live life as fully as you can.
We provide care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. Last year we cared for over 40,000 people across the UK.
Dementia Friends are trained colunteers who encourage others to learn a little but about dementia. Champions run information sessions in their community and inspire others to help those living with dementia live well.
Free and impartial money advice, set up by government. Advice and guides to help improve your finances; Tools and calculators to help keep track and plan ahead.
Giving people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.
Clear, practical advice and support for people experiencing issues with mental health and money.
Step Change provide the UK’s most comprehensive debt advice service. They help people with debt problems take back control of their finances and their lives.
National Debtline is a charity that gives free and independent advice over the phone and online.