The Great Northern Bake Off has just kicked off – with a display of cakes and muffins any Master Baker would be jealous of – complete with visual and even sound effects!

Our staff’s efforts are definitely not going unnoticed, with Vinod Chellarm, Deputy Director Pharmacy, saying “the Hospital should maybe look at opening a bakery.”

Drew Aras, Associate Director of Research said, “our staff’s talents are lost in healthcare”, with Will Halpin, OHS and Wellbeing Associate Director, adding “they should all be on Master Chef!”

Our judges, Chief Executive, Siva Sivarajah, Chief Legal Officer John Snowdon, Director Organisational Capability, Emily Dawson and Board Directors, Peter McWilliam, along with Philip Bain, wearing R U OK t-shirts drew attention to our inaugural ‘Conversations on Mental Wellness’ week and the importance of having a conversation.

“It’s important to share the message of R U OK day, which is this Thursday. We are encouraging our staff to bring a plate to work on that day, have a conversation and ask each other R U OK?” Siva Sivarajah, our Chief Executive said.

Jodie Ashworth, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, and the organiser of this event, emphasized the importance of bringing staff together and taking care of our wellbeing.

“Wellbeing is sometimes about coming together and sharing simple things. The effort put in today’s bake off showcases how much care and pride our staff take in their work,” she said.