Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Citizens Advice Reading Extend On-Site Support Service for Staff with 12-Month Funding from Royal Berks Charity.

From August 2024, staff at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust will benefit from continued face-to-face advice from Citizens Advice Reading, provided on-site at the Oasis Staff Health and Wellbeing Centre. This support will be funded for 12-months via the Royal Berks Charity and is an extension of an initial pilot project which ran from August 2023-2024 during which 96 staff were supported with a total of 491 issues. In 2023/24, of those accessing the service, 67% were from an ethnic minority, demonstrating the Advice service’s impact on reducing health inequalities and ensuring those staff who are often under-represented are supported.

The biggest concerns staff were supported with included housing/accommodation, benefits and tax credits. This partnership between the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Citizens Advice Reading is innovative and demonstrates the commitment of both organisations to support those most in need.

Don Fairley (Chief People Officer, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust) said “We know that many of our staff have benefited from the service during the first 12-months of the project and we are delighted that this support for our staff can continue for a further 12-months. We are grateful to our hospital charity (Royal Berks Charity) for their continued work to support Staff Health and Wellbeing.”

Tina Stevenson (Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice Reading) said “I am very pleased that we are able to provide advice, help and support for the NHS staff who work so hard to serve our local population so well. This is a great collaboration for our community and its continuation is to be celebrated. Thank you to everyone involved, especially Olly our excellent Outreach Worker and the hospital charity, for making this possible. We look forward to being there for anyone working at the Trust who needs our help, for another year.”

Jo Warrior (Royal Berks Charity Director) said “At the Royal Berks Charity, we are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our incredible staff at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. The success of the initial pilot project with Citizens Advice has shown us just how vital this service is, particularly in addressing the challenges faced by our staff from diverse backgrounds. By funding this continued support, we aim to ensure that every member of the Trust has access to the advice and assistance they need to thrive both personally and professionally.”