Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff – 9 December 2024

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Image of CE for Staff Fortnightly Blog

Message for All NHSO Staff 

Hi All

Happy Monday!

I hope you are all well.

This week’s fortnightly blog is about all things Christmas.

  1. Free Christmas lunch for all staff and vouchers for community staff

We’re offering all staff a free Christmas lunch at The Balfour restaurant on Tuesday 17 December, as a small way of saying thank you for all you do.

To keep things running smoothly, we’re introducing pre-ordering to minimise queues in the restaurant. Plus, we’re offering a team delivery service!

The menu can be found on the NHS Orkney Staff Wellbeing Christmas page and preorder details will be released this week.

For those of you working in the Mainland community and on our ferry-linked isles, we’re working with the leadership team to get Tesco vouchers to you so that you can use them individually, or pool them together if you’d like to do something as a team.

  1. Christmas jumper day

It’s Christmas jumper day on Thursday 12 December – I look forward to seeing your best Christmas jumpers. Christmas Jumper Day is Save the Children’s annual event which raises money for the children who need it most.

Find out more information and how to donate on the NHS Orkney Staff Wellbeing Christmas page.

Please send your Christmas jumper photos to our Communications Team and we’ll share these photos in Friday’s staff bulletin.

  1. Sharing Christmas wishes across Team Orkney

As you may have seen we’ve set up a new page on our NHS Orkney Staff Wellbeing site for you to share Christmas wishes with one another – on there, you can find the latest messages (which are being added daily).

  1. Supporting you over the holiday period

I recognise that for some, this time of the year is difficult. Please remember help and support is always available and do reach out if you need to. You are never alone. The number for our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) line (24/7) is 0800 028 0199.

  1. Monthly All Staff Briefing – Change of time

Due to an unfortunate diary clash (which has just been received), the final all staff briefing of the year on Wednesday 11 December will now be 12.30pm – 1pm. Please do let your colleagues know of this time change, and we’ll send an updated calendar appointment today. Sorry for any inconvenience and the late notice everyone.

Have a good week everyone and take care of yourself and each other.

Best wishes

Laura Skaife-Knight

Chief Executive