Better Health Silver Award for Actes

Actes Trust is finishing 2017 on a healthy high-note; having achieved the Silver level in the Better Health at Work Award, a partnership programme between all 12 North East local authorities, the TUC and local NHS providers.

The programme reflects Actes’ commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of its workforce, and the organisation will now work towards the Better Health at Work Gold Award during 2018.

Over the coming months Actes’ two health advocates will be driving forward health campaigns which that will be shaped by the organisation’s 45 staff who have recently completed a Health Needs Assessment, outlining the areas of health and wellbeing they would be most interested in finding out more about.

During the past 12 months since the organisation received Bronze status, Actes’ employees have participated in a variety of health initiatives including stress management, work-life balance and physical exercise, among others.

Companies participating in Better Health at Work must also have at least a three-year health strategy and one-year action plan for health improvement activities in place and offer employees annual health checks.

The scheme provides tangible benefits for everyone involved, with employees benefiting from access to a wide range of health support services in their local area and companies benefiting from implementing a health framework which enables them to bring together health activities in a structured way.

Carol Kerr, business manager at Actes and one of the organisation’s health advocates, said: “During the course of 2017 Actes has reinforced its commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of its employees with a number of initiatives that a large proportion of staff have been involved in.

“We’re delighted to have achieved our Better Health at Work Silver Award and look forward to starting 2018 with the Gold Award in our sights once we’ve evaluated the Health Needs Assessments and looked at what areas staff would be most interested in.”

For further information about the North East Better Health at Work Award visit www.betterhealthatworkne.org