Our Community

Wellbeing is a topic very close to our hearts at The Ralph. That’s why it’s reflected in our core values. We believe that valuing our people and prioritising their wellbeing is essential. This is not only for their own health but also for the good of the patients they care for and the people with whom they interact.

At The Ralph, wellbeing is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to developing an environment which encompasses the following eight pillars of wellbeing:

Wellbeing is often discussed in terms of the absence of adverse conditions, with solutions based solely upon physical and emotional needs. These pillars form a more complete view intended to help our community to not simply survive but to thrive.

Let’s look at three of the pillars of wellbeing in more detail. And delve into why we think they are so important to our profession and to our team at The Ralph…

Physical

Our physiology forms the basis for our human needs. It has huge implications on how we think, how we behave, how we connect and how we perform. Whilst most of us know this, in practice it can be all too easy to run out of time for a nutritious lunch, to not want to be seen taking breaks, or to forget to stay properly hydrated. We believe in the importance of creating a culture in which looking after our physiological needs is supported and demonstrated at all levels, so that it becomes the norm. We will provide our team members with information to help deepen their understanding of their physiological needs. We will create a common language around these matters. And we will support initiatives which promote healthy and active lifestyles. We want everyone at The Ralph to feel and function at their very best, both for our patients and for our overall wellbeing as individuals and a team.

Social

Once we feel well and feel safe, we have an innate desire to belong and to connect. Happiness is a core aspect of wellbeing. We believe that this is a key ingredient for success, not a result of it. At The Ralph we are proactively managing potential barriers to social connection within the team by carefully considering factors such as workload and lifestyle so that we create an environment which is supportive of positive interactions and communal care. We will also facilitate social connections during our ongoing onboarding process, through team events, via initiatives to promote gratitude and compassion, and of course, through fun!

Emotional

Emotions serve a purpose. However many are based around surviving in a world where our greatest concerns were to evade predators and avoid starvation. First and foremost we want to create an environment in which it is normal to acknowledge emotions. An environment where team members feel safe to voice concerns. And where empathy and compassion are skills which are supported and developed. We feel it is vitally important to explore these aspects of emotional wellbeing so that everyone is better prepared to help themselves and to help each other – always with the knowledge that additional support is never far away if and when required.

Keep an eye out for our next wellbeing blog in which we will look into the remaining five pillars of wellbeing and how they will come to life at The Ralph.

Take care and look forward to seeing you here again soon!

The Ralph Team