With a grant of £850,000, we are continuing our commitment to supporting Barts Health NHS staff by funding a new staff recognition programme – Barts Hearts.
As part of our 2022-27 strategy, we made it a key objective to help motivate, recognise and support the wellbeing of Barts Health staff.
Barts Hearts is an online platform which allows staff to give ‘hearts’ to colleagues and share messages of appreciation which can be viewed by everyone. It gives staff from all levels the opportunity to be recognised for the amazing work they do day in, day out, and often in demanding circumstances.
Based upon staff feedback
Barts Health consulted staff about what they wanted from a new recognition programme. The results included:
- Visible recognition for everyday acts of kindness
- Colleagues being able to give recognition to each other – peer-to-peer
- Small gifts, food and discounts as a token of appreciation
- Recognition from senior leaders and managers
“Barts Hearts is really amazing because we can share our happiness with our people."Roy George - Medical Records Clerk
Hearts, cards and heroes
As a result of staff feedback, Barts Hearts was launched last year, to help staff give and receive thanks in a visible and instant way. When a staff member receives five hearts, they can choose from a selection of small gifts such as a hoody, wellness pack or power bank.
The programme will also include other elements such as:
- celebrating local heroes across the hospital sites
- recognising long service
- thank you cards for managers to convey their thanks to staff in a more immediate and personal way
- supporting staff to attend national award ceremonies where they have been nominated
We will be continuing our support for the flagship Barts Health Heroes awards ceremony in February of each year.
One year of spreading the love
Since its launch in February 2024, more than 85,000 hearts have been shared, with over 14,000 staff members receiving at least one heart and over 11,000 taking the time to send one.
In a recent survey about the wider recognition programme, 75% of all Barts Health NHS staff have accessed the platform and continue to do so once a month, and 55% of staff reported feeling more recognised for their contributions since the platform’s launch, highlighting its positive impact on engagement, satisfaction, and workplace culture.
In December 2024, Barts Health was named Best Employer for Staff Recognition and Engagement at the prestigious 2024 Nursing Times Workforce Awards for Barts Hearts.
“Barts Hearts has been a fantastic tool which allows staff to send messages of support to colleagues. Around a third of staff use the platform weekly and they have told us it helps boost morale and makes them feel recognised in their job.”Daniel Waldron, Group Director of People, Barts Health
At Barts Charity we are committed to supporting the wellbeing, motivation and recognition of Barts Health Staff, because we know the positive impact this also has on patient care and experience. We’re delighted to have funded a programme that has been co-produced by staff, for staff, and one that spans a wide range of recognition activities.Ali Momin, Head of Healthcare Funding, Barts Charity