Look inside Chesterfield Royal Hospital's new 'Wellbeing Hub' as it celebrates 75 years of the NHS

The opening ceremony featured an NHS75 baton relay across the hospital site, with the participation of the Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield, signifying the celebration of the NHS milestone. The Health and Wellbeing Hub will play a crucial role in caring for the hospital's workforce, addressing the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Atul Patel, Chair of the Chesterfield Royal Charity and Non-Executive Director of the Trust, said: “The Hub was built after colleagues fed back how the impact of Covid changed them, their families and their working lives.

“We knew we needed to ‘care for the carers’ and this is just one of the very visible ways we are doing just that. The Hub will provide respite, relief and an easily accessible space and facility for colleagues.”

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital, commended the efforts put into the project and expressed his appreciation to the donors. He highlighted the Hub as a cornerstone of the hospital's recommendations and envisioned it as a place that would promote a positive work environment and excellent clinical care. The facility offers various amenities such as counselling rooms, a fully equipped gym, and spaces for individual or group reflections after traumatic incidents.

Hannah Peate, Health and Wellbeing Lead for the Trust added ‘’This Health and Wellbeing Hub will grow and develop to support the colleagues who every day work so hard to deliver care to our patients. Colleagues from across the organisation have worked tirelessly to make this a reality, it’s been a true collaboration across numerous departments. This will provide a holistic space for colleagues to come and decompress through to undertaking a Health and Wellbeing workshop or participating in a class or accessing the gym.

“Chesterfield Royal Hospital employed colleagues will have access to the Health and Wellbeing Hub free of charge. The Trust also plans to extend the Hub's operating hours to 24/7 in the future. The gym equipment, carefully selected through a competitive tender process, caters to diverse needs, including adjustable seats for colleagues with additional requirements.”