The following case study looks at the staff money wellbeing project which was put in place by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHS GGC) to help staff with their financial wellbeing.

Reason action was taken

As noted in our take the right actions page, one of the key ways to reduce health inequalities is by training the workforce to understand their role in this.

There are groups of staff who are vulnerable to financial stress, such as people who are affected by disability, caring responsibilities, family job loss and mental ill health. However, money worries can effect anyone.

There was an awareness that financial concerns for NHS GGC staff may be exacerbated if they weren’t given access to appropriate financial advice, affordable credit or the financial capability skills to manage finances effectively.

The Staff Health Strategy 2017-20 (external site) drives NHS GGC’s approach to workforce health and identifies financial inclusion as a priority. As a result of this the staff money wellbeing project was set up. A key objective of this was to provide training for frontline staff working in

• human resources (HR)
• occupational health (OH)
• support and information services (SIS).

These staff would then be able to provide appropriate help to NHS GGC staff to support their financial wellbeing.

Action taken       

With support from their senior managers, staff in HR, OH and SIS were given poverty awareness training. Delegates attended a five hour session delivered by

• NHS GGC public health
• Poverty Alliance
• Child Poverty Action Group.

Training covered

• welfare reform and ‘in work’ benefits
• the rise of ‘in work’ poverty
• the impact of poverty
• how to raise the issue of money
• support and resources available
• appropriate pathways for referral and signposting staff.

The course was advertised through networks of managers in HR, OH and SIS. Three sessions were run during October and December 2018 and a further two sessions were run in spring 2019.

People who helped

The governance of the project was undertaken by the Staff Health Strategy Group.

They made the initial funding bid and at the end of the project ratified actions to be taken forward across the organisation, including in HR, payroll and OH.

Impact and lessons learned

Following the poverty awareness training in 2018/19, staff referrals to the Support and Information Service increased. Half of these were received in quarter four alone.

To date approximately 94 frontline staff and managers have attended the training. They reported

• a better understanding that providing support for staff with money worries is part of their role (over 80% of delegates agreed that it was part of their role after the training)
• an increase in their level of confidence in knowing how to offer support to staff with money worries.

Key themes from the qualitative evaluation after the training are listed below, with the most frequently made comments listed first.

1. The course was informative and increased knowledge.
2. The course was useful and relevant.
3. Following the training, delegates planned to change their practice, including by raising the issue of money.
4. The training helped delegates to gain confidence.
5. Some delegates specifically said that they would now use the Support and Information Service in their role.
6. Some delegates specifically said they would use the ‘Good work, Good Health’ resource.

The evaluation data indicated that the training was successful in terms of meeting the learning outcomes.

Further information

You can find out more about ways to reduce health inequalities within our reducing health inequalities section.

You can find out more about the impact of income inequality and welfare reform within our income inequality pages.

This case study is based on information provided by Lesley McBrien from NHS GGC. If you would like to discuss further, you can contact our Health Promoting Health Service (HPHS) team by email at nhs.HealthScotland-hphsadmin@nhs.net.