Rewarding our staff

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care.  We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated.

What's on offer when you work with us?

On site fitness centres

Staff fitness centres are available at both Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital.  Facilities include cardio-vascular, multi-gym and free weight areas.  Please note that before joining the staff gym you will need to undertake an induction with one of the instructors.

Corporate fitness centres

The Trust has arranged discounted corporate membership at a number of local centres and fitness clubs.

Occupational health service

Our Occupational Health Department provides a professional, confidential independent advisory service for employees and management within the Trust, to promote health, safety and welfare for all employees.

The services include:

  • pre-employment health assessments and continuous health surveillance during employment relevant to work area
  • provision of immunisation programmes relevant to work area
  • provision of an advisory service to both employers and staff on sickness related issues
  • advice on sudden illness, injury at work
  • identification of hazards in the working environment
  • provision of confidential counselling service

Staff counselling service

The Trust offers a free, confidential 24 hour telephone Counselling Service, which is available to all staff.  It provides help or support for work related or personal matters.

Chaplaincy services

The Trust has a team of hospital Chaplains/Imams available for all faiths.  They are available to offer support and advice to all members of staff and respond to any religious or spiritual need

Smokefree environment

Trust premises and grounds are a smoke free environment for the health and benefit of all patients, staff and visitors.  

Family friendly policies

There are a number of policies in place within the Trust for employees to access which are designed to help employees balance the needs of work and family life.  Full details will be made available on appointment to a new post or alternatively ask your recruitment contact.

Health related policies

The Trust has a number of policies which are health related.  These include Sickness Absence; Workplace Tobacco Control; Promotion of Positive Mental Health; Alcohol and Health Policy, Eye tests and the supply of glasses and frames.  

Fast physio service

Staff receive priority access into our specialist physiotherapy service and will usually be given an appointment within one week of referral.

The services fast physio offer includes:

  • Free, confidential, fast tracked physiotherapy
  • Open access to free and confidential physiotherapy on a self-referral & management referral basis
  • Fast track physiotherapy to provide appropriate & timely management and advice of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
  • Telephone and email advice to enable employees to self-manage their injury more effectively
  • Recommendations of workplace adjustments where appropriate
  • Advice and support during return to work for managers and employees
  • Functional restoration programmes
  • Recommendations of workplace adjustments
  • One-to-one physiotherapy
  • Appointments across Trust sites

Work Smart

Work Smart is a dedicated Ergonomics Service for all staff working for the Trust. Interventions can range from analysing the design of a task for an individual, to the whole working system of a department.

Health Service Discounts (formerly known as NHS Discounts)

Health Service Discounts are the largest independent provider of voluntary employee benefits to public sector employees in the UK. Details can be viewed at www.healthservicediscounts.com

NHS Pension Scheme

Every new eligible employee automatically becomes a member of the NHS Pension Scheme and you will get an excellent package of pension benefits, fully protected against inflation and guaranteed by the government.  Under the new Pension Regulations those not eligible to join the NHS Pension Scheme will either be automatically enrolled into the NEST scheme dependent on their circumstances or are alternatively welcome to join if they indicate this as their preference on joining the Trust.

Annual leave entitlement

Excluding bank holidays, new starters appointed under Agenda For Change  receive 27 days per annum. This rises to 29 days after five year's service with the NHS and again to 33 days with 10 years NHS service.  

Consultants receive 32 days annual leave which increases to 34 days after 7 years in service

Doctors within our Surgical and Anaesthetics Division receive 27 days rising to 32 days after 2 years in service

Junior Doctors and dentists receive 27 days in first 5 years of appointment rising to 32 days

 Our holiday year runs from April to March.

Car parking

Parking is available for staff at subsidised rates in designated car parks on various hospital and community sites.  Requests for a parking permit are made via an application process although we cannot guarantee that you will receive a parking permit if a waiting list exists at the time of your appointment.

All Trust car parks have high power lighting, security staff (with frequent patrols) and closed circuit TV surveillance.

Lease Car Scheme

The Trust offers a salary sacrifice car scheme for all staff members. The salary sacrifice car scheme is an all-inclusive, motoring package which enables Trust staff  to drive a brand new, fully maintained and insured car from as little as £152 per month.

The vehicle is provided through a salary sacrifice arrangement which means that you agree to give up the right to receive part of your gross salary due under your contract of employment in exchange for a non-cash benefit – in this case a brand new car.

This allows you to utilise the income tax, NI and pension (if applicable) contributions, you would have paid on the amount of salary you are sacrificing, towards the vehicle of your choice.  You will also be able to take advantage of our excellent fleet and public sector discounts, allowing you to acquire a car for substantially less than a private lease agreement.

Each vehicle on the scheme includes all servicing and maintenance, fully comprehensive motor insurance for the driver and their domestic partner, annual road fund licence, full breakdown cover for UK and Europe, replacement tyres and even protection for certain lifestyle events such as resignation and redundancy.

Flexible Working

The Trust recognises that at various stages in employees’ working lives, domestic and family commitments, responsibilities and circumstances can change significantly.  The Trust supports flexible working arrangements to help staff balance work with other aspects of their lives and firmly believes that this will:

  • enable staff to balance their working life with other commitments that might otherwise force them to leave work
  • improve staff motivation and morale
  • aid the recruitment and retention of staff
  • benefit patients since staff who feel more in control of their own lives will be efficient and effective at work

Staff Lottery

The Staff Lottery is open to all staff and offers monthly prizes amounting to over £2000. 

The lottery has been running since 1989 and over £312,000 has been paid out in prize money to staff since then.  Also, an equal amount of money generated by the lottery has been allocated by the Lottery Committee on luxury items of equipment and services which have made life a little more pleasant for staff and patients.

Long Service Awards

The Trust operates a Long Service Award for those who have been employed in the Trust for a total of 25 years. 

Staff Residential Accommodation

The Trust currently has 52 single multi-occupancy units, 24 units suitable for family accommodation and a dedicated 56 unit student block.
 
All our accommodation is furnished and equipped and we also have dedicated on-call rooms at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

For further information or to request a room booking contact the Accommodation Supervisor, Bernadette Blackburn.
Telephone: 01282 804684
Email: bernadette.blackburn@elht.nhs.uk

A housekeeping service is provided in communal areas, multi-occupancy units and student accommodation.

Retirement Fellowship

The retirement fellowship meets on a monthly basis with the aim of providing continued contact between former employees of the NHS through social meetings and to provide financial help where needed through a benevolent fund.

Child and Family Care Service

The Child and Family Care Service offer information and advice to all staff who work for the NHS on:

  • Nursery provision and child-minders
  • Holiday playschemes (NHS & non NHS)
  • Pre-school/playgroups
  • Out of school care
  • Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit 
  • Childcare vouchers
  • Family-friendly policies
  • Maternity leave and pay
  • Paternity/maternity support leave

Library and Knowledge Service

The Trust’s library services are open to all ELHT staff and students on placement, whatever their grade or discipline.

There are two libraries: the Learning Centre Library at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and the Mackenzie Healthcare Library at Burnley General Teaching Hospital. Our online library, the ELHT Evidence Hub, offers quick access to resources to all staff on whatever site they are based, and gives a comprehensive list of our services.

The libraries provide access to a range of books, journals, databases and electronic resources to inform evidence-based patient care, education and personal development.

We offer ‘hot-desking’, computer, printing, study and document supply facilities. Training sessions covering evidence-based literature searching are also available, and can be delivered within hospital departments or on community sites.

Literature searches to support best practice and service development can be arranged through our Clinical Outreach service.

Our facilities are also open to staff of local healthcare organisations via External Membership.

Learning and Development

The Trust is committed to extending learning and development opportunities to all staff groups across the organisation and works in partnership with local NHS organisations to provide non-medical training and education, including a number of supervisory and management programmes. 

What are the benefits of joining our bank?

  • We offer zero hour contracts which enables flexible working
  • You gain an extra 12.5% in lieu of annual leave
  • Join Wage Stream, a brand new financial wellbeing app, and claim 50% of your wage once the shift has been worked, instead of waiting for payday.

Find out more about Wagestream here.