Supporting NHS staff wellbeing through workplace massage

How Hands On At Work is helping Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust & Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity support its people across three hospital sites.

Working in healthcare can be incredibly rewarding, but it also brings significant physical and emotional demands. For NHS staff, finding time to look after their own wellbeing while caring for others can be challenging.

Recognising the importance of supporting its workforce, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity partnered with Hands On At Work to introduce a programme of free onsite massage for staff.

Following positive feedback from earlier wellbeing sessions, the initiative developed into a wider project, proposed by the Deputy Chair of the Trust, who recognised the potential benefits of making onsite massage available to employees.

Now in its second year, the programme is helping staff across all three hospital sites take time to relax, ease physical tension and prioritise their wellbeing.

Why Hands On At Work?

Having worked with Hands On At Work previously, the Trust and Charity already knew the quality, professionalism and care delivered by the team.

This made the decision to work together on a wider staff wellbeing project an easy one.

The Charity team particularly values the people behind the service, highlighting the leadership of Tina and the professionalism, enthusiasm and pride demonstrated by every therapist.

As the client explains:

“The whole team are exceptional. Tina is a fantastic leader who clearly inspires her team, and each therapist delivers a very high level of service and takes great pride in the massage provision. Staff across the Trust absolutely love the massages, and this is very much down to the professionalism of the therapists.”

Making a difference to staff wellbeing

The onsite massage provision gives employees an opportunity to step away from their busy working day and enjoy a short period of relaxation.

Staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with employees reporting benefits including reduced tension, relaxation and improvements in how they feel at work.

Some of the comments received include:

• “I had some stress-related tightening in my neck and this has really helped.”
• “I feel very relaxed and de-stressed.”
• “Definitely very helpful for my neck problem and very relaxing.”
• “Had a big positive impact, made me feel much better, which improved my working.”
• “Great morale boost!”
• “Excellent service and would definitely use again.”

The Trust has also seen particularly positive feedback from employees experiencing musculoskeletal (MSK) issues. Staff have reported that massage has helped their physical comfort and their ability to carry out their roles.

With many employees returning for repeat sessions, the service has become a valued part of the wider wellbeing offer.

The results: reaching hundreds of NHS employees

The figures demonstrate just how valuable the programme has become.

Between July and September 2025, a total of 433 staff accessed the Charity-funded free 10-minute massage provision.

With approximately 7,000 employees across the Trust, this represents around 6.18% of the workforce benefiting within just three months.

The provision currently operates for 34 hours each month, with capacity for up to 204 massages per month.

This means that, over the three-month period, the programme achieved approximately 70.75% of its available appointment capacity.

Looking ahead, if all available appointments are filled over a 12-month period, the service has the potential to reach up to 2,448 staff, equivalent to approximately 34.97% of the Trust’s workforce.

These figures highlight the potential for accessible, regular wellbeing initiatives to reach a significant proportion of employees.

Flexible support for a busy NHS environment

One of the most important aspects of the partnership is the ability to respond to the changing needs of the Trust.

With three hospital sites, varied working patterns and teams operating under considerable pressure, flexibility is essential.

Hands On At Work supports the Trust through its monthly onsite massage programme, staff wellbeing events and wellbeing sessions. More recently, the team has also supported the International Staff and Students Integration Programme through its Building Belonging events.

The service is not limited to standard office hours. The Hands On At Work team accommodates evening and weekend requirements, helping ensure that staff working outside traditional 9–5 patterns have access to wellbeing opportunities too.

The client particularly values this approach:

“As we are an NHS Trust, we try to keep the offer equitable, and this means making sure staff wellbeing offers are open to roles outside the standard 9–5, which Tina will always accommodate.”

The team also adapts massage techniques, appointment times and locations to suit different requirements, making the provision as accessible as possible.

Going above and beyond

Healthcare teams do not always have the luxury of planning their wellbeing requirements months in advance. Sometimes, additional support is needed quickly, particularly during periods of increased pressure.

The Trust regularly approaches Hands On At Work with requests for additional sessions to support specific teams and events.

Whether arranging extra massage provision, responding to winter pressures or sourcing other holistic therapies such as sound baths and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), the team works hard to find the right solution.

The client describes this flexibility as a key strength of the relationship:

“Anything we ask for, no matter how short the notice, is never too much trouble. Tina and the team go above and beyond to support the Charity and all the staff at the Trust.”

Communication and organisation are also highlighted as particular strengths, with requests handled efficiently and therapists arriving on time and at the correct locations across all three hospital sites.

A partnership built on trust

The Trust’s experience demonstrates the value of having one reliable wellbeing partner to coordinate services and respond to changing organisational needs.

By working closely with the Charity, Hands On At Work has helped make regular massage provision possible, alongside additional wellbeing activities that support employees when they need them most.

The Charity team has been clear about why the partnership continues:

“Because they offer a truly exceptional service that never lets us down.”

And when asked whether they would recommend Hands On At Work to other organisations, the response was equally positive:

“I would very highly recommend Hands On At Work for their exceptional level of service, the consistent above-and-beyond delivery of their holistic services and the superb organisation and management of the therapists. We have only ever had positive feedback from staff who absolutely love the service offered.”

Supporting the people who care for others

The partnership with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity is a fantastic example of how workplace wellbeing can make a meaningful difference in demanding working environments.

By providing accessible onsite massage, adapting to different working patterns and responding to the needs of individual teams, Hands On At Work is helping NHS employees make time for their own wellbeing.

Because supporting the people who care for others matters.