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Looking after our staff

We recognise that providing high quality mental health and community health services to our diverse local communities requires a highly skilled and motivated workforce. Our staff are our most prized asset and our workforce strategy reflects this belief:

  • To become the Mental and Community Health Provider of Choice and the Health Employer of Choice for East London
  • To develop a highly skilled, motivated and culturally capable workforce
  • To maximise learning opportunities for all staff, provide high quality teaching and training, and remain a centre of excellence for research.

We are doing a lot to improve the working lives of our staff, including helping employees to stay healthy; flexible working that promotes a sensible balance between home and working life; and a commitment to equal opportunities.

Many Trust staff juggle caring responsibilities, including looking after children, or caring for elderly relatives or other dependents. Some staff want to pursue other interests, for example further study, relief work, overseas voluntary work. 

Because of this, we have developed policies to help including: generous maternity, paternity, adoption, carer and special leave policies; innovative work-life balance policies such as compressed hours, flexible retirement, part-time working, job sharing, home working, employment breaks, flexi-time, unpaid leave, reduced annual working time and reduced hours. 

We have good occupational health services and provide access to confidential counselling and post-trauma support following serious incidents. The Occupational Health Department also offers an immunisation service and health promotion advice for staff by referral. They are also there to support staff coming back to work after a period of illness or injury.

We strongly believe in supporting all staff to develop and grow. We have a strong professional development and lifelong learning ethos, linked to a commitment to clinical supervision and appraisal processes. 

Related content

ELFT Staff Networks

Learn about our staff networks such as BAME, Women's, Intergenerational and LGBTQ+.

Staff benefits

The satisfaction of knowing you've played a central part in helping an individual to get better, to successfully manage a long term condition or to have supported them in getting their life back on track is rewarding in itself.