Category: In the News

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, HealthTrust Europe is proud to acknowledge the achievements of women in healthcare and procurement.

Our workforce at HealthTrust Europe is gender balanced. We strive to support and empower women in healthcare and procurement, not just on International Women’s Day but every day. Our core value is to promote diversity and inclusion, recognizing that gender diversity is critical for creating an equitable and productive workplace where all employees feel valued and respected.

HealthTrust Europe is a learning organisation and one that recognises and embraces the talents of all. We strive to partner with our people to achieve fulfilment at work and mutual growth. Providing opportunities for women to advance in their careers is a priority for us and we are particularly proud that 50% of our people managers and Executive Board are female.

We demonstrate our passion for growth by offering a suite of impactful learning and education options, including experiential learning and on-the-job coaching, quality technical training, investment in education and professional qualifications, and access to quality self-directed learning. We firmly believe that when women prosper, so does our entire organisation.

While International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality, we must also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Advocating for policies and practices that promote gender equity and support women in healthcare and procurement is vital. At HealthTrust Europe, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace.

HealthTrust Europe also believes that supporting women’s health and wellbeing is crucial to creating an inclusive workplace and achieving gender equity. This is why we have developed a Women’s Health Toolkit that provides resources and information to help women make informed decisions about their health. The toolkit covers a range of topics, from reproductive health to mental health and menopause, and is available to all of our employees. We also understand that women’s health issues such as menopause can be a source of significant physical and emotional challenges for many women.

In addition to these initiatives, we are proud to support the Miscarriage Association as our charity of choice for 2023. Miscarriage is a deeply personal and often traumatic experience that affects many women and their families. By supporting this charity, we aim to raise awareness of the issue and provide support to those affected by miscarriage.

According to Hannah Barton, HR Director at HealthTrust Europe, “Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do at HealthTrust Europe. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we recognise the vital role that women play in healthcare and procurement and feel proud of our gender balance at all levels. We remain dedicated to providing opportunities for women (and men) to advance in their careers and regularly review resources and initiatives with the aim of creating a more comfortable, inclusive workplace where all can thrive.”

To find out more about careers with HealthTrust Europe please visit https://www.healthtrusteurope.com/who-we-are/careers/

HealthTrust Europe has raised £10,224.05 for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity through various fundraising activities, including a dragon boat race in which the HealthTrust Europe team were silver medallists. The race was organised to raise funds and awareness for the charity, and it brought the company’s employees together to train and compete in the event.

HealthTrust Europe also organised a series of other activities such as raffles, bake sales, pumpkin carving, and dress-down days. These events helped engage employees in the fundraising efforts and raise a significant amount of money for the charity. The funds will go towards supporting the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which provides vital care and treatment to children from across the region.

Dearbhla Craddock, Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said:

“The support HealthTrust Europe has shown for us over the past 12 months has blown us away and we can’t thank them enough.

“Their consistent and dedicated fundraising, including their stellar efforts at our Dragon Boat Race has seen them raise over £10,000 – an awe-inspiring amount which will go on to help us create better experiences for countless sick kids, through the improvement of our hospital environment and helping to fund new equipment and research. Thank you all so much.”

Dale Robinson, HealthTrust Europe’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“At HealthTrust Europe, we believe in making a positive impact within our local communities and we’re honoured to contribute to the health and well-being of children and families in Birmingham.”

HealthTrust Europe is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves and believes that giving back to society is an important part of its mission and values. The company plans to continue to support charitable causes in 2023, and will shortly announce their chosen charity for focusing on this year.

HealthTrust Europe (HTE) is pleased to announce its formal partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSENHSFT) following an extensive tender process undertaken throughout 2021. 

The partnership will see HTE brought on board as MSENHSFT’s Commercial Procurement Partner, providing additional expertise as the Trust seeks to establish itself as a leading provider within the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS). 

The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is a fully established, merged organisation, one of the largest acute providers of healthcare in the NHS, providing services to over 1.2 million residents in Mid and South Essex – this partnership will support the Trust as it further focuses on improving the experiences and health outcomes of patients using healthcare services. 

As part of a global organisation that is both a healthcare provider and procurement solutions partner, HTE is led by the core mission to improve care and human life. HTE works with its partners to deliver value whilst maintaining clinical and procurement standards and technology solutions. HTE brings 11-years of extensive experience working with the NHS to improve patient outcomes and streamline operations to the MSENHSFT partnership.  

HTE’s wide portfolio of market-leading and policy compliant Frameworks will enable MSENHSFT to provide services and solutions to many public sector entities as the ambitions of integrated care are realised. By partnering with HTE, MSENHSFT will be better equipped to deliver new ‘extended’ services, particularly focused on data, technology and systems in a joined-up manner to ensure the continued transition to integrated care.  

The partnership’s foundation will be built upon shared goals, mutual understanding, trust and governance. HTE will operate as an extension of the MSENHSFT team providing additional resource, expertise and capacity that is aligned to strategic goals and will deliver value and efficiencies that further enhance health and care services to the local population in a predictable and sustainable model. Longer term benefits include the transfer of knowledge and skills to create space for innovation and growth of the Trust. 

Dale Robinson, HealthTrust Europe’s COO, said:

“HealthTrust Europe’s partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is a significant milestone for us. As a company, we are committed to supporting the joining up of health and care as part of the ICS agenda, and this partnership allows us to bring our knowledge and experience in procurement services to Mid and South Essex to improve health and care for the patients across the area.

We are excited to begin working with the team at the Trust to deliver better outcomes for patients.”

Jonathan Dunk Chief Commercial Officer at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust said:

“I am delighted to be entering in a Partnership with HTE which will enhance our expertise and procurement function to deliver value for our patients through evidence-based health and care solutions that will ultimately benefit the Trust and our population.” 

HTE is pleased to support the new partnership with MSENHSFT and represents HTE’s ongoing commitment to supporting the NHS to ensure the successful transformation of health and care services across the system. 

HealthTrust Europe’s Chief Operating Officer, Dale Robinson, enjoyed a visit to Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust this week to mark International Nurses Day.

Despite the challenging circumstances nurses often face, nurses go above and beyond to deliver critical care to patients every day. That is why each year on May 12^th – the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing – people across the world come together to celebrate International Nurses Day and acknowledge the exceptional work that nurses do.

The theme of this year’s International Nurses Day is ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.’ This year, the International Council for Nurses (ICN) celebrates the day by raising awareness about the rights and struggles of Nurses, aiming to educate people and nurses on how to create a better working environment.

In the lead up to International Nurses Day, Dale Robinson was pleased to be invited to spend the day at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust on Monday 9^th May. He was able to spend time speaking with nurses across various wards to hear their unique stories and experiences of working at the Trust, particularly relating to the challenges they faced due to COVID-19, and those that remain as we emerge from the pandemic.

Earlier this year, HealthTrust Europe announced that Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity – part of the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust – is the company’s chosen charity to support in 2022. HealthTrust Europe selected this charity because it is the local hospital to the company’s Head Office in Edgbaston, and many of our team members have either spent time at the Hospital themselves or have been impacted in some way by the work that the Trust undertakes.

As the Trust – like many others across the country – continues to grapple with financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic, HealthTrust Europe is proud to be able to support the vital care provided through our fundraising initiative.

Dale Robinson, Chief Operating Officer at HealthTrust Europe, said:

“It was a privilege to spend the day at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to mark International Nurses Day, and I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to some of the inspirational nurses who deliver excellent care to patients each and every day.

I, like many of my colleagues at HealthTrust Europe, have been positively impacted by the work of this Trust at various points in my life. Being able to give back to the Trust through our company-wide fundraising initiative in 2022 is something we are very proud of. We hope that this support goes some way in demonstrating just how valued this Trust is to our colleagues.”

 Dearbhla Craddock, Corporate Partnerships Officer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen as HealthTrust Europe’s charity of the year and can’t wait to see what we’re able to achieve together through this fantastic partnership.

“Through their fundraising and support, HealthTrust Europe will be helping us to improve our hospital environment and patient experience, find breakthrough cures and treatment through research and enable us to purchase the latest state-of-the-art equipment.”

It is important to understand how all types of diversity can impact a person’s identity, and to acknowledge the relationship between identity, inclusion and mental health. An article by mental health charity Mind[1] outlines the link between promoting diversity and inclusion (D&I) within the workplace and the positive impact this has on overall employee wellbeing and mental health. At HealthTrust Europe, we are proud to be an organisation that champions mental health and D&I through tangible measures to enable our diverse workforce to feel supported and represented.

This Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on the theme of loneliness, exploring the effect of feeling lonely on our wellbeing and identifying how we can all play a part in reducing loneliness in our communities. At HealthTrust Europe, we believe tackling loneliness can start in the workplace. That is why we are committed to meaningfully supporting our colleagues struggling with mental health by providing a wealth of online wellbeing resources and offering all colleagues access to a private GP and private healthcare service.

To further tackle loneliness and isolation within the workforce, HealthTrust Europe has committed to arranging monthly in-person social activities that provide opportunities for colleagues to connect with individuals from across the company, creating a positive and amiable culture. Covering a range of topics that appeal to a variety of interests, last month’s event involved corporate team building exercises and this month’s activity will involve visiting Birmingham’s  botanical gardens. Additionally, HealthTrust Europe endeavours to bring our colleagues together in support of our philanthropic missions. In September, a team from HealthTrust Europe will be competing in a boat race in support of our corporate charity, Birmingham Childrens Hospital.

As part of our commitment to engage meaningfully with our colleagues, we believe that it is paramount to reflect the experiences of all to truly harness an inclusive and representative work environment. We are proud to be a company that recognises the importance of gender representation and equality and, out of our exceptional 116 employees, our team is made up of 54% women and 46% men, with an above average number of women holding management positions. Compared to the national average [2] of 34% of women in management positions in the UK, we are delighted to have 46% of women in our business in management and leadership positions, and to have 50% of our Executive Leadership team made up of females. Our commitment to gender equality at HealthTrust Europe is demonstrated throughout all levels of our organisation, with strong female leaders providing mentorship and coaching to support our colleagues.

In addition to our work on gender equality, we are also proud to be a diverse workforce, representing a range of different cultures, religions and beliefs across our teams, as well as 11 nationalities. Of our 116 colleagues, our team is made up of:

• 29% Asian/ Asian British
• 21% Black/ Black British
• 32% White/ White British
• 7% Mixed/Multiple Ethnic Groups (White and Black Caribbean)

Ensuring that our colleagues from all backgrounds and identities feel appropriately represented and empowered whilst at work is absolutely critical to everything we do. Unfortunately, owing to a range of factors such as underrepresentation, stigma, discrimination and inaccessibility to mental health services, racial/ethnic, gender and sexual identities are often at higher risk[1] of poor mental health outcomes. Too often those suffering with poor mental health can go on to experience feelings of loneliness if the appropriate support networks are not available.

At HealthTrust Europe, we are pleased to have established multiple CSR groups that cover mental health and wellbeing, including a group for social activities. This group focuses on organising events across all levels of the company for co-workers to get involved in, including cinema visits, sports events, and quizzes. Beyond this, HealthTrust Europe is proud to have: an approachable Executive and HR team; an employee advisory group and an employee assistance programme; and a number of mental health first-aiders who are on hand to support co-workers to tackle stigma, and harness inclusion in the workplace.

To strengthen our commitment to D&I and mental health and to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Christine Charles as our new Learning and Development Manager. Christine joins HealthTrust Europe on 4th July 2022. In addition to a wealth of learning and development experience, she holds a particular passion for mental health and wellbeing. We are excited to enhance our D&I and mental health offering for colleagues and continue to make HealthTrust Europe an even more positive and inclusive working environment for all.

If you are struggling with mental health, you can find support via the below channels:

• • NHS Mental Health Helplines
  • Samaritans (Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org)
  • Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text ‘YM’ if you are under 19
  • MIND

[1] https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/influence-and-participation-toolkit/how/planning/diversity-and-difference/

[2] https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/news-centre/women-hold-31-of-global-mid-market-leadership-roles/#:~:text=In%20the%20UK%2C%20women%20now,3pp%20above%20the%20global%20average

[3] https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-competency/education/mental-health-facts

As a proud Corporate Supporter of The King’s Fund, HealthTrust Europe is pleased to have funded a project the organisation is working on to explain Provider Collaboratives.

Provider collaboratives are set to become a key part of the emerging arrangements in the NHS over the next few years.  The explainer considers the function of provider collaboratives in England, the opportunities they provide, and the unresolved questions to consider when thinking about their role in the changing health and care landscape.

From July 2022, all health and care organisations in England will be required to work together as integrated care systems (ICSs). Provider collaboratives, along with place-based partnership, will be ‘key components’ of ICSs.  By working effectively at scale, provider collaboratives are set to provide opportunities to tackle unwarranted variation, making improvements and delivering the best care outcomes for patients and communities.

All NHS trusts providing acute and mental health services will be expected to be part of at least one provider collaborative. These may take different forms and will vary in their scale and scope: some will be ‘vertical’ collaboratives involving primary, community, local acute, mental health and social care providers coming together to join up their services; others will be ‘horizontal’ collaboratives involving providers working together across a wide geography with other similar organisations to transform services and/or improve quality and efficiency. Regardless of the structure they wish to partake in, all NHS providers will need to join a provider collaborative, and individual providers may be involved in more than one.

Whilst it is evident that provider collaboratives are set to become a core component of emerging plans in the NHS’ future, the introduction of these new structures has left some yet-to-be-resolved questions. These include:

• How provider collaboratives will define what they will achieve
• How they will balance permissiveness and the pace at which they need to be established
• How the provider collaborative will work across:
  • Multiple ICSs and footprints
  • Capacity and capability
  • Culture, with the shift from competition to collaboration.

Against the backdrop of significant structural changes within the health care system, provider collaboratives offer potentially pivotal opportunities, should they be utilised to the full effect. As the implementation date for ICSs nears, it is crucial that these questions are answered to ensure that the delivery and impact of the provider collaboratives is both efficient and effective.

To read the full report on The King’s Fund’s website, please follow the link. The report was written and developed by The King’s Fund and is editorially independent.