The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust (CCC) is a specialist cancer trust providing highly advanced cancer care and treatment. It employs approximately 1,800 staff and is a key part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System.
Valueing staff
The Executive team wanted to create a workplace culture where all staff felt valued and recognised for their contributions. Senior leaders were keen to enhance staff engagement, morale, and well-being while promoting recognition and reward through targeted initiatives and strategic planning. This aim was reflected in their five-year workforce and OD strategy (Our People Commitment), which focused on:
- Promoting health and well-being.
- Improving recognition and reward systems.
- Strengthening staff engagement and morale.
- Supporting development and workforce sustainability.
- Cultivating a culture where every voice counted, and diversity was celebrated
Reward, recognition and engagement
The leadership team drove implementation of a comprehensive range of initiatives to achieve a supportive, inclusive and engaging workplace. Here’s a summary of what they did:
Recognition and reward
- Annual Staff Excellence Awards were launched in 2022, expanding from 7 to 13 categories by 2024.
- Monthly Star Awards rebranded in 2023, offering winners a £25 gift voucher and eligibility for the annual Star of the Year award.
- Long Service Awards recognise staff for milestones from 5 to 40 years, with automatic processing introduced in 2024.
Wellbeing and engagement
- Introduced Wellbeing & Engagement Champions in 2023 to promote staff wellbeing, enhance engagement, support colleagues, and act as a bridge between employees and leadership.
- Hosted events such as: Relaxation and mindfulness sessions, mini treatments for staff, “Wellbeing Extravaganza”, and “Live Well, Work Well” health checks.
- Launched initiatives such as face-to-face pop-ups, “Day in Your Shoes,” and “Big Conversations” to improve engagement with senior leaders.
Celebrations and recognition days
- Fun activities like “Weekly Fruity Thank You“, Ice Cream Day, Festive hot drinks and “Wave of Kindness” boosted morale.
- Organised events like CCC Fest, International Nurses Day, and Allied Health Professionals’ Day with treats, thank-you cards, and celebrations.
Return on investment
Since the launch of the above recognition and reward initiatives, there has been a significant increase in participation and engagement, with nominations to the annual staff excellence awards being over 250 in 2024.
As per the latest national Staff Survey 2024 results, the Trust is one of the highest performing organisations across the North West, with various improvements since the previous years. More specifically, on the survey theme “We are Recognised and Rewarded“, there was improvement from 6.27 (2022) to 6.58 (2023), and in 2024, the Trust scored +0.42 above the benchmark average, nearing its Peer’s top score of 6.67, showing improved staff satisfaction in this area.
Key learnings
Ensure staff are well-informed about recognition and well-being programmes to improve participation and engagement.
- Senior leaders need to be actively involved in engagement activities to build trust and create a culture of appreciation.
- Listen to staff feedback and adapt programmes (e.g. well-being events, recognition awards) based on their preferences for greater success.
- Track engagement, satisfaction, and retention through surveys and feedback for continuous improvement of initiatives.
Next steps
Further develop the employee voice to facilitate improved communication and our understanding of staff experience.
Ongoing evaluation via NHS Staff Surveys and feedback.
Focus on a holistic reward and recognition approach, including personal and leadership development, wellbeing, and recognition to retain talent
Contact information
For more information about this case study, contact:
Philippa Dick
Organisational Development Practitioner