An NHS trust has announced an extension of an on-site support service for staff.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Citizens Advice Reading have extended the support service for staff, which will continue for another year, starting from August 2024.

The service offers face-to-face advice to staff at the Oasis Staff Health and Wellbeing Centre, funded by the Royal Berks Charity.

The service began as a pilot project running from August 2023 to 2024 and has proved beneficial to staff.

A total of 96 staff members were supported during the pilot period, dealing with 491 individual issues.

The service also found that 67 per cent of those using the service were from ethnic minority backgrounds.

This statistic highlights the service's role in reducing health inequalities as well as supporting under-represented staff.

The most common issues staff faced included housing, benefits, and tax credits.

The partnership between Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Citizens Advice Reading has been described as 'innovative,' showing the commitment of both organisations to help those in need.

Don Fairley, chief people officer at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, expressed his delight at the continuation of the service.

He stated: "We know that many of our staff have benefited from the service during the first 12 months of the project and we are delighted that this support for our staff can continue for a further 12 months.

"We are grateful to our hospital charity (Royal Berks Charity) for their continued work to support staff health and wellbeing."

Tina Stevenson, chief executive officer of Citizens Advice Reading, also welcomed the news.

She said: "I am very pleased that we are able to provide advice, help, and support for the NHS staff who work so hard to serve our local population so well.

"This is a great collaboration for our community and its continuation is to be celebrated.

"Thank you to everyone involved, especially Olly, our excellent outreach worker, and the hospital charity, for making this possible."

Jo Warrior, Royal Berks Charity director, reiterated the importance of the service.

She said: "At the Royal Berks Charity, we are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our incredible staff at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

"The success of the initial pilot project with Citizens Advice has shown us just how vital this service is, particularly in addressing the challenges faced by our staff from diverse backgrounds.

"By funding this continued support, we aim to ensure that every member of the trust has access to the advice and assistance they need to thrive both personally and professionally."

Royal Berks Charity supports projects that enhance the experience of patients and staff, providing resources beyond government funding.