Team from Italy visit West Suffolk Hospital

19 July 2002

Word of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trusts success in introducing family friendly policies for staff has reached the ears of European colleagues.

A team from Bologna Italy are visiting the hospital next week interested in finding out how the Trust is helping nurses balance their working lives with the demands of bringing up a family.

The team comprises two senior nurses from the Hospital of Modena and San Agostino Hospital, which is a brand new facility, two representatives from the local college, AECA Bologna and an interpreter. They are working on a project "Geografia dei tempi" (Times geography) which focuses on women working in the health service.

"It was quite extraordinary, AECA contacted the Trust having looked at our website and read about how much we are doing to improve the working lives of staff," said Jan Bloomfield.

"They are experiencing similar problems to those we face - staff finding it difficult to reconcile work and family care and the detrimental effect this has on recruitment and retention and quality of life.

"We will be talking to our visitors about a whole range of initiative we have in place including flexible working hours, self-rostering schemes, Familylife Solutions and Return to Practice, which aims to attract nurses back into the profession following a career break."

Media invitation:

Chair of the Trust Veronica Worrall will be presenting the visitors with a framed picture of the West Suffolk Hospital at 12.15 on 24 July in the Facilities Board Room at the rear of the hospital site.

There will be a tour of clinical areas of the hospital in the afternoon of 24 July.

You are welcome to send a reporter/photographer along to the presentation of the pictures at the time and date mentioned. There will be an opportunity to talk to the visitors and members of the Trust.

See also: Hospital of Modena web site