Local NHS Trust is recognised for supporting staff health and wellbeing at national awards

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has scooped the 'Excellence in Supporting Staff Health and Wellbeing' award at the 2012 Nursing Times Awards.

The Trust won the award for its sickness absence work which aims to nurture healthy staff.

This proactive approach to health and wellbeing involved a wide range of interventions and support for staff and has dramatically reduced sickness absence rates since its introduction in 2008.

Last year the project was rolled out across Scarborough Hospital, helping to reduce long term sickness cases from 50 to 23 during its first two months alone.

Over 1000 nursing professionals gathered to celebrate and reward the nursing community for the most prestigious event in the Nursing community's calendar. This year's event saw a record number of entries at 848 and the most attendees in the history of the Nursing Times Awards

Michelle Wayt, Senior HR Manager and Lizzie Wood, Head of Occupational Health, collected the award on behalf of the Trust. Michelle explained: "We are delighted to have been recognised for our work in this area."

Peta Hayward, Director of HR, continued: "Our staff are our most important asset and it is vitally important that we nurture and support them to help create a healthy and happy workforce. Without staff that are fit and well to care at work we cannot deliver high quality patient care."

Jenni Middleton, editor of Nursing Times said: "During the judging, I met some outstanding nurses and heard about their superb projects that have transformed the lives of patients and service users. Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners."

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the region's largest employers employing 8,500 staff working across 10 hospitals and the communities of York, Scarborough, Selby, Ryedale, Whitby and Bridlington.

Notes to Editors:

The Nursing Times Awards are recognised as a huge accolade and are organised by leading weekly magazine Nursing Times. For more information on The Nursing Times Awards go to www.ntawards.co.uk