Healthy campus
Lancaster is committed to the wellbeing of all its staff and students. A working group meets twice yearly to share information on current activities, and to develop new ideas on health promotion. Membership of the group is Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Lynn Jones (Practice Director, University Medical Practice) , Claire Geddes (LUSU) , Tim Holmes (Catering) , Rob Kemp (HR), Phil Longton (Facilities), Kim Montgomery (Sports Centre), Carolyn Nuttall (North Lancashire PCT), Hugh Pollock (University Chaplain), Tom Finnigan (Student-based Services), Angela Mackay-Fowler (Occupational Health Advisor). Details of significant current initiatives follow below:
Staff health & well-being
The HR stress management and wellbeing policy can be found at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/
A flexible benefits scheme which currently includes: Healthcare – Cash Plan and Private Medical Insurance; Dental Insurance, retail vouchers, sports centre membership etc. was implemented on 1st October 2008 and continues to run in the 2009/10 academic year.
More details on the scheme can be found at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/total-reward/benefits.html
Flexible working and parental leave information information can be found here
NHS links
The Health centre now has extended hours and is now open Saturday mornings and one evening per week, for more details please see http://www.lancs.ac.uk/lancuni/health.htm
Health promotion
A Health promotion day was successfully run in September 2008 with activities such as free blood pressure checks and work station assessments and is planned again for the academic year 2009/10.
Physical health
Access to work scheme has been launched to provide work for those who can and to encourage greater independence- more details at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/recruitment/files/accesstowork.html
Disabled staff forum has been set up to try to better understand and address the needs of staff with disabilities, more details can be found at: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/DSF.htm
The University is monitoring the situation and working closely with the Health Protection Agency to ensure staff and students receive relevant updates and advice on pandemic flu-. For more details please see http://www.lancs.ac.uk/press/swineflu.htm
Support services in the university library are provided for disabled and dyslexic users, please see: http://libweb.lancs.ac.uk/g44.htm for further details.
Mental health
A Mental health advisor now in post , please see http://www.lancs.ac.uk/studentservices/mentalhealth/ for further details.
Fitness
New sports centre to be built with additional sporting facilities, more details at http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/info/lunews.nsf/I/C8E1B29F027D4CCC8025748E004421C2
In the new university cycle to work scheme, staff can save up to 41% on the purchase of a new bicycle and cycling accessories and pay for via monthly salary deduction. For more information see: - http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/total-reward/cyclework.html The GreenLancaster hub is also selling used bicycles and re-conditioning old bicycles for 2009/10.
The University is part of a car sharing scheme, more details at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/facilities/travel/car_sharing.htm
GreenLancaster is an initiative to help departments across campus promote and deliver environmental initiatives, and to help increase recycling rates, reduce toxic waste, reduce energy consumption and green the University’s supply chain. More details can be found at http://greenlancaster.org.uk/
The University is launching a ‘Trim Trail’ in 2009/10 ; a series of 14 exercise stations that will be positioned around campus. Exercise on your way to your next meeting!
New footpaths and cycle ways will be open on campus as part of the Lake Carter project from September 2009.