I am glad to have helped create a space for staff members to come to and relax
As part of the #OurWXpeople spotlight series, this week we are highlighting the great work carried out by the wellbeing team. We caught up with Myra Padua, Strategy Project Officer who has been redeployed to the team, to give us all the details:
Hi Myra, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello I’m Myra and I’m a strategy project officer at The Royal London Hospital. At the beginning of the pandemic I put myself forward for any redeployment roles, and I was one of the original four people asked to help set up the all staff wellbeing hub at Whipps Cross Hospital. I came to a site I’ve never worked at before and was pleasantly surprised to meet lots of people I know through my work with the Surgery and Cancer Clinical Boards. On 15th May I celebrate 20 years working for the Trust. I started my journey in complaints at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in 2001, then moved on to work in the legal team at Prescot Street for 10 years. In 2014 I moved to the Royal London and worked as a PA/Office Manager for the Surgery Clinical Academic Group. I’ve now been in my current role for a few years supporting Surgery and Cancer and I’m really enjoying it.
What does a typical day look like for you working in the wellbeing department?
In April 2020 I was redeployed full time for two months to help set up the staff wellbeing hub. I’ve retained one day a week with the wellbeing team while I return to my usual duties. My role has recently evolved into a wellbeing prescriber but before that it was overseeing the management of the hub. Following the second surge, we made the hub available 24/7 and I worked alongside volunteers to ensure smooth running of the hub. We’ve also introduced crafty breaks Monday to Friday between 2-5pm which help staff to relax and switch off during their breaks and feedback has been positive.
My current prescriber role has involved facilitating wellbeing workshops with various departments. As part of an A&E ‘away day’ we organised a two hour wellbeing session for staff members, signposting them to the services available. This also included a mindfulness and crafty break session. At present, I am supporting the divisional leads in the outpatients department with our ‘rest, recuperate and reflect’ initiative and I am working closely with the team leaders to ensure the wellbeing of staff. Due to donations from the public we’ve been able to deliver care packages to various wards and departments for staff who couldn’t come to the hub for tea, coffee or refreshments. They were really grateful, especially the busy clinical departments who don’t always have time to take to come over to the hub.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoyed being involved in the project of setting up the staff wellbeing hub, especially meeting and working with new colleagues and volunteers. My time at Whipps Cross has been fulfilling and rewarding. I am glad it has created a space for staff members to come to and relax, something that did not exist before the pandemic.
How would you entice a prospective employee to come and work in the wellbeing team at WCH?
During my time at Whipps Cross, I’ve felt that the hospital has been very welcoming, everyone’s very friendly and accommodating. If anyone was to apply for a job in the wellbeing team, they would get immense job satisfaction seeing how they can help to improve staff health wellbeing, including mental health. The feedback has been amazing and staff have really appreciated the work we’ve been doing.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
During the second lockdown I’ve taken up Pilates and I’m really enjoying it. It’s helping my creaky joints as I get older! I think it’s important that when you’re offering health and wellbeing support that you don’t forget to look after yourself.
Anything else you would like to add?
I’m really pleased that we’ve managed to secure charity funding to upgrade the current hub’s decoration and furniture. It’s a positive outcome that focusing on wellbeing has been recognised by senior management as something that needs to be a permanent feature and not just something in response to the pandemic. It’s nice to know that staff at Whipps Cross will always have a relaxing space to decompress and proud to have been a part of this process.
Read our previous spotllight features: