NHS Grampian signs The Migraine Trust workplace pledge

NHS Grampian is showing its commitment to the health and wellbeing of staff by becoming the first health board to sign The Migraine Trust’s workplace pledge. 

 

Migraine affects one in seven people and is most common among adults of working age. Symptoms can include head pain, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to lights, sounds and smells. The impact of the condition on individuals can be significant: 56% of respondents to The Migraine Trust’s UK-wide survey said their workplace hasn’t made reasonable adjustments to help them manage migraine attacks at work. 

 

 

The Migraine Trust estimates £9,000,000,000 of output is lost nationally, every year, due to migraine absence and presenteeism. 

 

The impact of migraine on the working lives of staff with the condition can be significantly reduced if people with migraine are supported at work. Often, reasonably small, simple changes from employers can make a big difference. 

The decision to sign the pledge comes from a successful two-year partnership with The Migraine Trust, during which the health board has raised awareness among both the public and healthcare professionals about migraine. 

 

Philip Shipman, Interim Director of People and Culture for NHS Grampian, said: “I am very pleased to formalise our work on migraine to date by signing The Migraine Trust’s pledge. It’s important to recognise our role as one of the area’s largest employers and to lead by example in the support provided for staff.” 

 

Alison Evison, chair of the Grampian NHS Board, added: “We want everyone to be able to bring their best selves to work; this means looking after their health and wellbeing. Raising awareness of migraine and understanding what we can do, in practical terms, to reduce and remove triggers is one important part of that.” 

 

Leigh Ewen is a senior project manager with NHS Grampian. She said: "I lived with almost constant symptoms including headaches and congestion for years and was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. I had multiple courses of antibiotics, invasive investigations and other treatments with no success. Through the work NHS Grampian has been doing to raise awareness of migraine amongst staff as well as the wider public, I recognised my symptoms were in fact migraine. I have successfully trialled and now use preventative medication which means I now rarely have a migraine attack. This has meant I have needed less time off work due to migraine. I'm delighted that NHS Grampian is showing commitment to supporting staff living with migraine by signing The Migraine Trust pledge." 

 

Rob Music, CEO of The Migraine Trust said “We are delighted that NHS Grampian have signed our workplace pledge, building on the success of our partnership focused on improving the treatment and management of migraine in the region. In demonstrating this commitment to supporting staff with migraine NHS Grampian is leading the way as an employer and continuing to raise vital awareness.” 

 

As part of NHS Grampian’s work with The Migraine Trust, additional training was provided to over 80 pharmacy staff, to improve their knowledge and understanding of migraine. A public webinar also took place; a recording of this is available on YouTube here: Understanding migraine, treatments and accessing Grampian support. 

 

Further information on The Migraine Trust’s workplace pledge is available here: The Migraine Trust's Workplace Pledge - The Migraine Trust