University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

A 'Learning Matters' awards 2017 Case Study.

This programme is a pioneering project of collaboration in developing Clinical Leadership between University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) and CETAD, Lancaster University’s Centre of Excellence in Work-Based Learning.

The University Hospital Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) faces a unique communication challenge due its large geographic area. This makes it very difficult and time consuming for the Trust to communicate effectively with its three different constituencies of Lancaster, Kendal and Barrow. Therefore in an innovative move, it has been using emerging social media as a potential solution to this problem.

In July 2008, reported sickness absence across University Hospital of Morecombe Bay NHS Trust (UHMB) averaged 5%. There was also a tendency for the same members of staff to take sickness absence. Therefore the HR team embarked on a structured and robust policy to reduce sickness absence with the aim of bringing down the average level to 3.5% by 2012 which it is set to achieve