Ambition: Empowered to improve

We believe that the strength of our organisation lies in the people who work and volunteer here.

Our ambition to empower our people means creating a culture of trust and respect, where every voice matters and contributions are recognised. We must ensure our staff have the time, tools, and training to grow and thrive in their roles. We will take actions to improve staff wellbeing, with a focus on psychological safety, inclusion, and recognition. We understand the importance of enabling autonomy, so staff can shape how care is delivered and lead improvements in their services. Finally, we will strengthen the relationship with our workforce through engagement and action, ensuring feedback leads to visible change and that leadership is accessible and accountable.

Strategic outcome

Shape an inclusive culture where people are empowered to continuously improve services.

Strategic priorities

Nurture a safe, high performing and inclusive culture
Proactively support colleagues’ health, wellbeing and development
Strengthen leadership to foster autonomy, accountability and ensure staff feel valued.

Strategic measures

Lead metric
Staff survey, ‘advocacy’: I would recommend my organisation as a place to work.

Staff survey, ‘motivation’: I look forward to going to work
Staff survey, ‘involvement’: I can make improvements happen in my area of work
Workforce Disability Equality Standard: percentage of disabled staff saying their employer has made reasonable adjustments to enable them to carry out their work
Workforce Race Equality Standard: ‘staff experience’: percentage of staff reporting personal experience of discrimination
NHS Equality Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan: percentage of staff saying that they have not experienced harassment, bullying, or abuse from managers in the last 12 months
Staff sickness absence

What does great look like for our patients and families?

Patients and families feel listened to, supported, and treated with dignity in every interaction
People will feel assured that staff are skilled, well-supported, and working in a culture that values safety, compassion, and improvement
Feedback leads to real changes, and care keeps getting better because staff are empowered to make a difference.

What does great look like for our staff?

Staff are empowered to shape how care is delivered and improve services for patients and families
Staff are listened to, respected, and recognised for their contributions
Staff have the time, tools, and training they need to do their jobs well and develop their careers.

What does great look like for our partners?

Partners are welcomed into a culture of trust, respect, and shared purpose — where their contributions are valued and their voices heard
Partners benefit from clearer communication, shared goals, and joined-up working that makes it easier to deliver great care together
By working with empowered staff, partners help shape services that improve outcomes for patients, families, and communities.

Case study

The Sudbury Health Centre community garden provides patients, who can be isolated and lonely, with therapeutic activity in the open air to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.

What we did...

Lucie Johnson, Judy Kiddy and Mags Phillips are health and social care occupational therapists (OTs) with the Sudbury integrated neighbourhood team. They saw an opportunity to turn an unused patch of ground at Sudbury Community Health Centre into a therapy garden, for the benefit of their patients and colleagues.

Giving up their own time to clear the site during the winter, they set about creating a garden which could be managed by people with different physical abilities. Finances were needed to develop the scheme, so they embraced new skills to seek funds from a variety of sources.

After successfully applying for start-up funds from the Friends of the West Suffolk Hospital and My WiSH Charity; they won two awards from the Royal College of Occupational Therapy, which provided further money.

The work has developed, as has their ability to link up with local firms – such as garden centres – and charities – such as Men’s Shed – to support the project. They have also shared learning and good practice with colleagues.

The garden provides patients, who can be isolated and lonely, with therapeutic activity in the open air to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Clinicians see an increase in strength, mobility, dexterity and confidence, all leading to greater independence and improved quality of life.

Target

Turn an unused patch of ground at Sudbury Community Health Centre into a therapy garden, for the benefit of patients and colleagues.

Impact

The garden provides patients, who can be isolated and lonely, with therapeutic activity in the open air to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing
Clinicians see an increase in strength, mobility, dexterity and confidence, all leading to greater independence and improved quality of life.

Next: Ambition: Responsible with resources

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Ambition: Empowered to improve

Strategic outcome

Strategic priorities

Strategic measures

What does great look like for our patients and families?

What does great look like for our staff?

What does great look like for our partners?

Case study

In full bloom