HEALTH in the workplace was the focus of a campaign at Airedale Hospital.

Dietitians joined with employee health and wellbeing teams at the Steeton site to stage the initiative.

An information stand was set-up with details of healthy recipes, links between food and mood and exercise activities on offer to hospital staff.

The campaign – part of national Dieticians Week, which ended on Friday – had a different theme each day, including healthy meetings, hydration and protecting the lunch hour.

A recent British Dietetic Association survey found that regular eating patterns and a quality diet for workers could improve overall wellbeing, drive productivity and reduce sickness absence.

Eleanor Johnstone, a dietitian at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This campaign allowed us to showcase the role of the dietitian and the focus this year on workplace health provided us with a platform to promote a healthy lifestyle at work.

"A healthy workplace can help to reduce stress, increase productivity and improve the health of the staff.

"Our aim is to encourage staff to take their lunch break, choose a healthy balanced meal, keep hydrated throughout the day and come along to one of the many exercise classes available.

"We also hope that members of the public could use some of the ideas in their workplace."

Michael Smith, head of the trust's employee health and wellbeing service, said: "The wellbeing of our staff is crucial for the safe and effective delivery of services to our patients.

"This awareness week was a great idea and complemented the zumba, pilates and hula hooping exercise classes we already organise for our staff."

Advice for a healthier workplace includes:

l provide brief comfort breaks after an hour in meetings and encourage people to move around, stand and stretch

l fresh drinking water should be available in meetings and offices

l make time for a lunch break to rehydrate, refuel and get some activity or fresh air

l provide fruit rather than cakes and pastries as a treat for colleagues; and

l give directions to meetings and workplace in a way that encourages healthy travel by walking or cycling

Visit bda.uk.com/improvinghealth/trustadietitian/dietitiansweek or bdaworkready.co.uk/ for more details.