NHS Fife: Supporting Staff Through Spiritual Care and Wellbeing Workshops
Staff care and wellbeing prioritised
In NHS Fife, the Spiritual Care Team, working alongside a health psychologist, has created a rich programme of wellbeing support for staff. Recognising the emotional toll of the pandemic and the ongoing pressures of health and social care work, the team developed a series of workshops and reflective sessions to help staff reconnect, recover, and build resilience.
Creating space for reflection and restoration
The initiative includes a wide variety of offerings tailored to different needs and preferences:
- Values-Based Reflective Practice (VBRP®) sessions
- Wellbeing Retreat days and half-days
- Wellbeing Champions Course (including peer support)
- Self-Compassion for Wellbeing sessions
- Improving Joy in Work half-day sessions
- Bereavement in the Workplace course
- Bereavement staff support group
These sessions provide staff with protected time to reflect, restore team relationships, and learn evidence-based strategies to support their mental wellbeing.
Overcoming barriers to access
One challenge was securing funding to host retreat days in non-NHS venues with a calming, retreat-like atmosphere. The team successfully applied to the Fife Health Charity to make this possible.
Other challenges included promoting the workshops widely and ensuring staff felt enabled to attend during work hours. These were addressed by:
- Embedding workshop promotion in the staff wellbeing section of the NHS Fife intranet
- Engaging managers and wellbeing leads via the Staff Health and Wellbeing Group to encourage attendance and support
As a result, staff from a wide range of professional backgrounds have participated.
Making a meaningful impact
For staff: Many are experiencing burnout, exhaustion, and compassion fatigue. These workshops offer respite, reflection, and practical tools rooted in neuroscience to support daily wellbeing.
For patients: When staff feel well and valued, the quality of care improves. NHS Fife’s commitment to wellbeing directly benefits patient experience.
For the organisation: The initiative strengthens team cohesion, resilience, and reflective practice. VBRP®, developed by NHS Education for Scotland, encourages interdisciplinary reflection and supports long-term wellbeing.
Advice for others
NHS Fife offers the following tips for organisations considering similar initiatives:
- Identify and address barriers early, listen to concerns and adapt
- Ensure strong leadership and visible support from key figures
- Clarify and communicate the project’s values and vision
How does this align with the Leadership Success Profile?
“Connecting longer-term goals and strategy to the lives of frontline staff;
and building a shared commitment, identity, and sense of purpose for
what can be achieved together.”
This initiative aligns strongly with the “Enabling Cultures” cluster of the Leadership Success Profile, particularly under the “Harnessing Commitment” dimension. By investing in staff wellbeing, NHS Fife is enabling better outcomes for both staff and patients, aligning with the national priorities for workforce culture.
The Scottish Government has published Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures (IWWC), which sets out a vision to support and enhance local cultures across our health, social care and social work organisations through programmes of work at a national level that focus on the three pillars of wellbeing, leadership and equality. You can find out more about IWWC by reading this blog by Dr Elizabeth Kelly.
