Free car-parking and flexible working part of a trusts plan to recruit and retain staff

The trust wants to ‘keep making working life better’ for its staff.

Milton Keynes University Hospital Foundation Trust (MKUH) launched its staff benefits programme earlier this month which will seek to improve staff recruitment and retention rates alongside boosting staff well-being.

The benefits will include free car-parking, increased opportunities for flexible working, greater access to special leave, access to refreshments and a commitment to ensure staff take regular breaks.

A ‘green travel plan’ will also be offered that includes access to secure bike storage, lockers and showers.

The staff benefits programme is being introduced throughout the trust in a bid to reduce the organisations 16% nursing vacancy rate and in response to recent staff feedback.

NursingNotes estimates the improved staff benefits could save staff up to £800 per year.

‘Making working life better’.

Joe Harrison, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes University Hospital Foundation Trust, said “As a leadership team, we’ve set out a commitment to keep making working life better for our staff and to do what we can to invest in those things that really matter to the people we rely on to provide care and services to our patients.

“We asked our staff what would make their working lives better and they gave us lots of feedback – from free parking and guaranteed parking spaces, to access to gyms.

“We are investing in things that make a positive difference to our staff, in terms of their health and wellbeing, the environment they work in and the facilities that are available to them. Some of these seem like little things – free drinks, enabling staff to take proper breaks – but we know they have a big impact on the working day or night.

“This is just the start of our programme and we will be working with staff to introduce more benefits and positive initiatives throughout the year and over the next three years.”