health

Restart a Heart Day

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Learn potentially lifesaving CPR and emergency response skills

Time: 10:00 – 15:00
Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026
Location: Portcullis House Atrium

Restart a Heart Day aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by helping more people learn CPR and become Resus Ready.

Join the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service (PHWS) and London Ambulance Service at this drop-in event, open to all passholders. It provides an opportunity for Members, Members’ staff and House staff to learn potentially lifesaving CPR and emergency response skills.

The Staffer – October Issue

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Have you read this month’s issue of The Staffer yet?

It contains useful information and items of interest to MPs’ staff, including:

  • Flu vaccinations
  • External Services Open Day
  • UK Parliament Week
  • House Services Fair
  • Christmas Fair
  • Legislation Hub
  • Training
  • Useful contacts

This month’s issue and an archive of previous issues can be found on Parlinet.

Staying Human Under Pressure

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Time: 1430 – 1530
Date: Thursday 1 October 2026
Location: Online via MS Teams

www.flourishprojec.net  www.wendyellyatt.com

Please join us to watch Wendy Ellyatt’s presentation, “Staying Human Under Pressure”, which will explore how Parliament can move beyond individual resilience towards creating healthier, more humane working cultures. Drawing on the Flourish Project’s ecosystemic understanding of wellbeing, it offers practical ways to strengthen relationships, institutional effectiveness and democratic life.

To receive the link to join, please email mpsstaff-wwg@parliament.uk from your parliamentary email address.

WWG Talk – Cultivating Psychological Safety

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Time: 14:00 – 15:00
Date: Tuesday 11 August 2026
Location: Online via MS Teams
Booking: Please email mpsstaff-wwg@parliament.uk from your parliamentary email address

Work Well Being

In this 60-minute introductory talk we explore what we mean by the term psychological safety and why it matters. We share a neurobiological model to understand and master our own internal sense of safety and explain the benefits collectively on how we work together, understand each other, and align. The talk explains how this contributes to creating an equitable and fair working environment.

It provides individuals with tools to help them gain and maintain a sense of agency and self-awareness in situations that can be challenging to navigate.

Relevant for all staff, participants will leave the session with a greater understanding of the concept of psychological safety and the actions they can take to create a safe working environment for themselves and those around them.

Outcomes

  • Explore what a psychologically safe working environment is like and why it matters
  • Learn tools to master your own internal sense of safety regardless of the external environment
  • Find out about the neurobiology of safety and how to apply that in your day to day working life
  • Learn an easily applicable model to navigate challenging situations with a greater sense of ease.
  • Find out about safe boundaries for yourself and what is expected of you at work

Dr. B. is a medical doctor, author and thought leader in the fields of mental health, workplace wellbeing and the science that brings these together. She is an Associate at Work Well Being, helping organisations strengthen wellbeing, leadership and team performance through practical, evidence based training. Since 2014, Work Well Being has supported hundreds of organisations across the UK.

Results of the 2026 MPs’ Staff Survey

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The Final Report of the MPs’ Staff Survey for 2026 has now been published and you can find it here.

Please see also this message from Jo Willows, Director of Members’ Staff Engagement.

If you need support, please do look at the Wellness Working Group Sharepoint site: https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-wellbeinghub/SitePages/What-suport-is-there-.aspx

Working Through Cancer Network

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About the Network
1 in 2 of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetime, yet many people across the parliamentary community still navigate a diagnosis quietly and alone.
The Parliamentary Working Through Cancer Network exists to ensure no one has to face that journey by themselves. We provide a safe space for anyone in the parliamentary estate affected by cancer, whether as a patient, a carer supporting a loved one, a colleague, or a line manager.
What we do:
  • Practical Peer Support: We are developing a confidential peer-to-peer buddying system connecting individuals with shared lived experiences.
  • Resources & Guidance: We provide clear guidance, information, and tools to help line managers confidently navigate employment policies, workplace adjustments and phased returns to work.
  • Regular Events: We host regular hybrid events, discussions and informative sessions to raise awareness and foster a supportive workplace culture. This includes high-profile discussions, such as our recent event with Wes Streeting, where he shared his personal experiences of navigating a cancer diagnosis while working in politics.
Get Involved
Whether you need support, want to volunteer as a buddy, or simply wish to champion our work, everyone is welcome.
Please email Dan Horrocks – dan.horrocks@parliament.uk or Daisy Campbell – daisy.campbell@parliament.uk

Working Through Cancer Network Event: 9 July

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Time: 14:15 – 15:15
Date: Thursday 9 July 2026
Location: Online and PCH
Open to: parliamentary staff
Information/booking: dan.horrocks@parliament.uk

You are warmly invited to the next Working Through Cancer Network event where you can hear more about the purpose of the network, the support we are building and how to get involved.

We are delighted that The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will be joining us to speak about his personal experience of cancer, the challenges of balancing treatment with public life and the insights he has gained from navigating a cancer diagnosis whilst serving in one of the most senior roles in Government.

About the Network
The Working Through Cancer Network exists to support parliamentary staff and others affected by cancer — whether as a patient, carer, line manager, or colleague. We are also developing practical support, including a buddy system and guidance for navigating the help available in Parliament.

RSVP
If you’re planning to attend, in person or online, please RSVP to dan.horrocks@parliament.uk so we can get an idea of numbers.

We hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be a thoughtful and inspiring discussion.

ICGS annual report 2025-2026 published

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The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) team published its annual report for 2025-26.

The ICGS was the first scheme of its type in any legislature and underpins the Behaviour Code, which sets out the standards of behaviour expected of everyone in Parliament.

You can read the report here: ICGS Annual Report 2025-26.

BEAT Eating Disorders Casework Service

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Do you have a constituent with an eating disorder that has been denied NHS care?

If you are supporting a constituent who has (either themselves or as a carer) been denied a referral, assessment, information, or treatment for an eating disorder, Beat Eating Disorders’ free casework advisory service may be able to help. 

We regularly hear from people whose care is not in line with clinical guidance. Our team has an in-depth understanding of eating disorder treatment pathways and can advise MPs and their staff on the steps that can be taken to challenge and overturn these decisions. 

We can provide advice on what treatment guidelines say should happen, who to contact, and the content of correspondence to services and decision-makers. We can also support you throughout the process as you work to resolve a constituent’s case. 

We are proud of our track record. To date, we have successfully supported the overturning of every decision referred to our advisory service. As Steff Aquarone MP said after using the service: “I can say with certainty that without your initial case management direction, I would not have been able to act with the necessary speed to support my constituent in this vital and complex case.”

To access the service, please complete the form here: beateatingdisorders.tfaforms.net/234  

We will contact you within 10 working days. 

The advisory leaflet can be found on the MMSST Caseworker Hub.