Citation
(2009), "NHS Birmingham East and North staff health programme steps up a gear", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 39 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2009.01739fab.011
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
NHS Birmingham East and North staff health programme steps up a gear
Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 39, Issue 6.
One year on since its launch, a unique scheme to help staff at NHS Birmingham East and North move towards better health is looking forward to the future.
The scheme, BENeFIT, has already helped more than 725 employees become fitter, lose weight and have healthier lifestyles, with health risk assessments and cardiovascular screenings taking place, hundreds of pedometers handed out and individually tailored programmes given to members. Health coaches have helped staff increase their exercise and motivated them into making healthier lifestyle choices.
Now BENeFIT is looking forward to an even more successful second year, with several developments in the pipeline. Among these are a new, enhanced BENeFIT website with more content and a forum to allow staff to share their healthy recipes, tips and advice and find other employees who enjoy the same activities. A comparison tool will also let members see how they shape up against others in terms of steps recorded by their pedometers.
Arif Shah, BENeFIT Programme Co-ordinator, said: “The first year has shown that the BENeFIT programme has really worked, with staff reporting that they not only lost weight, ate healthier meals and upped their exercise, but also really enjoyed taking part”.
“Now we're developing new ideas to move the programme forward, from improving the website to finding ways in which people can share their expertise and find like-minded colleagues to get fit with”.