CSS News

Overall Summary

Thank you to everyone who attended our monthly CSS Team Brief covering celebrations, inclusion, service updates, winter planning, workforce feedback, safety, and clinical innovation.

Key Topics Covered (use time stamps to skip to sections in the recording)

1. Celebrations & Awareness

• September health and professional awareness days highlighted (physiotherapy, pharmacy, patient safety, prosthetics/orthotics) with encouragement to share team achievements 4:23
• Inclusion Week promoted, focusing on workplace belonging and respect 6:10

2. Inclusive Recruitment

• Refresh of inclusive recruitment approach to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups 6:49
• Introduction of “inclusive recruitment panelists” with lived experience joining interview panels across selected posts 7:52

3. Live Well Hubs

• Expansion of Live Well hubs across MFT sites to support patients and communities with health and wellbeing access 10:43

4. CSS News & Communication

• CSS News platform highlighted as a key internal communication and storytelling hub 16:30
• Strong growth in engagement and usage, with significant year-on-year increase in visits 17:37

5. Care Closer to Home & Winter Planning

• Trust-wide programme aiming to reduce hospital stay length and improve home-based care 19:39
• Winter planning already underway, focusing on respiratory illness, frailty, paediatrics, mental health, and discharge flow 21:35
• Emphasis on coordination, early discharge, and keeping patients well in community

6. Stroke Service Spotlight

• Focus on cardiovascular fitness in stroke rehabilitation, shifting from diagnosis-only care to holistic fitness-based recovery 27:22
• Pilot work includes group exercise/rehab for stroke inpatients and early-stage research into adapted cardiac rehab models 29:19

7. Staff Survey

• NHS staff survey opening discussed as key feedback mechanism shaping wellbeing, inclusion, and recognition improvements 34:26
• Encouragement for participation and planned protected time for completion 36:06

8. Violence, Abuse & Sexual Safety

• Reinforcement of “no excuse for abuse” policy and support routes (line managers, freedom to speak up, SLT) 38:29
• Launch of sexual safety awareness posters and campaign to encourage reporting and intervention 40:46

9. Civility & Workplace Culture

• Positive reflection on Civility Month with focus on everyday respect, recognition, and small acts of kindness 43:41
• Continued emphasis on creating a respectful, safe, and supportive workplace culture