Innovative New Partnership Forged Between Wave Community Bank and NHS Trust

Friday 26 January 2024

Wave Community Bank (WCB) now has a full-time Financial Wellbeing Support Officer based at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, helping staff across hospital sites with its personal budgeting and money management.

This collaboration between the NHS Trust and Wave Community Bank is designed to support NHS staff at a time when household budgets have become more squeezed than ever.

This post has been created in partnership with the UHSussex Health and Wellbeing Team and is being funded by the Trust’s Charity – My University Hospitals Sussex and WCB.

Tracy Cox-Horton, the new Financial Wellbeing Support Officer based at the Trust, said:

“I am very excited to be working with Wave Community Bank and UHSussex. I truly believe that by offering my services to support NHS staff with their finances, we can really make a positive difference to wellbeing and morale.”

Emma Norledge, Deputy CEO of Wave Community Bank, said:

“We are keen to work with our Employer Partners to offer innovative solutions and we believe this role is the first of its kind in the UK. We hope that by being on site in the Trust, we can help staff to improve their financial situation, now and in the future.”

David Grantham, Chief People Officer, UHSussex:

“We recognise that everyone is feeling the impact of increased living costs and the effect this can have on wellbeing.  As part of our programme of cost of living support, we are delighted to be the first Trust to engage a full time advisor to assist staff with money management advice and signposting to help support financial concerns.”

Steve Crump OBE, Director of My University Hospitals Sussex Charity & Voluntary Services:

“My University Hospitals Sussex, is delighted to partner with Wave Community Bank. As the dedicated charity for the hospital Trust, we take pride in supporting patients and staff across our hospitals. Helping to support the introduction of a dedicated financial wellbeing support officer for hospital staff is proof of our commitment to doing so.”

Wave Community Bank has offered the Chorus Workplace Savings Scheme to UHSussex staff for many years, providing the opportunity to save and repay loans straight from their wages, helping them to manage their money and improve their financial resilience.