Staff Wellbeing Initiative at Leeds Cancer Centre

Addressing Burnout Among Oncology Staff

A recent initiative at Leeds Cancer Centre aims to improve the wellbeing of its staff following findings of high levels of burnout within the oncology department. In 2023, an NHS survey highlighted significant self-reported burnout among oncology staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, which employs over 1,400 people in the cancer centre.

Development of Wellbeing Support

In response to these findings, the oncology health and wellbeing leads, supported by funding from donations and gifts in Wills, established a year-long wellbeing support project. The initiative is led by Dr Helen Harding, a Clinical Psychologist specialising in Staff Psychological Support, alongside Liz Brown and other oncology wellbeing leads.

The project focuses on tackling work-related stress by creating opportunities for staff to engage in wellbeing support interventions. These include activities and resources designed to help staff manage stress and improve their overall mental health at work.

Staff Feedback and Surveys

To better understand the specific challenges faced by staff, Dr Harding conducted two additional in-house surveys in April and September 2024. These surveys sought detailed feedback on factors affecting health and wellbeing in the workplace and gathered suggestions for addressing these issues.

Preliminary findings indicated that staff found their work demanding and stressful, underscoring the need for targeted wellbeing support. The ongoing project aims to respond to this feedback by tailoring interventions to meet the needs of oncology staff more effectively.

Summary of Key Points

• 2023 NHS survey identified high burnout levels among oncology staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
• Leeds Cancer Centre employs over 1,400 staff members.
• Funding from donations enabled a year-long wellbeing support initiative.
• Project led by Clinical Psychologist Dr Helen Harding and oncology wellbeing leads.
• Two further staff surveys conducted in 2024 to gather detailed feedback.
• Initiative focuses on reducing work-related stress and improving staff wellbeing.

The initiative reflects a growing recognition within the NHS of the importance of supporting healthcare workers’ mental health, particularly in high-pressure environments such as oncology.

For more information, visit the Leeds Hospitals Charity website.