Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 05 May 2024 at 16:26
GREATix is our new staff recognition scheme, which is replacing Hidden Gems.
It is a positive reporting system, developed as part of the ‘Learning from Excellence’ national programme aimed at encouraging staff to learn from each other by sharing great practice.
GREATix is about recognising excellence and providing the opportunity to feedback to nominated individuals, showing staff that their work is valued. It’s also a chance for the Trust to showcase and learn from these examples; to encourage learning, development and leading by example.
To find out more about the background to GREATix you can listen here to Dr Adrian Plunket, consultant, talking through the ‘Learning from Excellence’ programme.
Hopefully the questions and answers below will explain the process more fully, however, if you do have any further queries after reading them then please email greatix@eastamb.nhs.uk.
How do I submit a GREATix?
A GREATix can be submitted using any desktop computer or mobile device connected to the internet. All you will need is the QR code or web address to access the GREATix form. Please note, that if you are using a personal device you may need to log into your Office 365 account with your EEAST network credentials.
What happens when I submit a GREATix?
Once you submit a GREATix form, an email is automatically sent out to inform the GREATix champion that a GREATix has been raised. The nomination will then be reviewed and, if it meets the requirements, a certificate is generated and emailed to the nominated employee.
Who are the GREATix champions?
Each area and department within EEAST has a nominated GREATix champion. The champion is responsible for checking and processing the nomination. Your local GREATix champion will introduce themselves and be your point of contact.
Does a GREATix submission always get checked before receiving a certificate?
Every GREATix submission that is received will be checked against the requirements. A GREATix is about sharing excellence in order to learn. If you can demonstrate this in the submission it makes the review and approval process much easier.
How long will the process take once I’ve made a submission?
The process shouldn’t take longer than two weeks, from the form being submitted to a GREATix certificate being issued. However, please note this is subject to the availability of the local GREATix champion to administer the process.
Who can I contact about my GREATix submission?
You can contact you GREATix champion or email greatix@eastamb.nhs.uk at any point about your GREATix submission.
How is GREATix different to Hidden Gems?
GREATix focuses on learning from excellence. Not only does the scheme recognise, value and celebrate staff who have done outstanding work, but the Trust benefits from learning what went well and incorporating this into future practice.
Hidden Gems was a peer-to-peer staff recognition scheme based on our Trust values, where staff could thank or recognise their peers for the work they had done. The process ended there with no evaluation on the themes and trends or learning from excellence.
Why has the Trust decided to move to a GREATix scheme?
It is important that we are able to learn from excellence in the same way we learn from incidents. Whilst Hidden Gems provided the opportunity for us to celebrate and thank our staff, there was no follow up.
GREATix will give us the chance to thank and recognise staff, and the opportunity to learn from their experiences and build on good practice going forward. We have talked about adopting GREATix for a while, it was originally trialled within EEAST in Bedfordshire and then also addressed by the Change Agents in 2019.
I have an outstanding Hidden Gem, will I still receive this?
Existing Hidden Gems will be honoured. If you are waiting for one then it will still be sent out over the coming weeks. The process has been amended to speed up the existing backlog. Please email hiddengems@eastamb.nhs.uk if you are still waiting for your Hidden Gem.
How will the Trust share the lessons for learning?
The Organisational Development (OD) team, through Jill Page, will own the GREATix process and oversee the learning from it. They will meet regularly with both the Programme Management Office (PMO) and the Communications team and lessons learnt will be shared on Need to Know whilst the GREATix can be celebrated on our social channels. The lessons learnt will also be shared with the Trust Quality Improvement (QI) team so that opportunities for improvement activities can be explored on a regular basis.
Can I check the status of the GREATix I have been awarded and find out whether the Trust will be taking any lessons from it?
Yes - you will be able to check the status of a GREATix by emailing greatix@eastamb.nhs.uk. The team will be able to give an update and advise on whether there are lessons to be learned which are being taken forward.
Who manages the GREATix process?
The Organisational Development (OD) team will have overall ownership of the GREATix system and will be supported by both the Programme Management Office (PMO) and Communications team to ensure the smooth running and development of the process.
Will individual GREATix awards be published?
Individual awards won’t be publicised in the same way as Hidden Gems. Instead, the themes and trends of the GREATix awards will be published bi-monthly on Need to Know. These will also be reported to the People Engagement Committee.
The bi-monthly and committee report will also include some individual information where there are wider lessons for the Trust.
We have a local staff recognition scheme – will we have to use GREATix instead?
You can continue with any other local scheme however GREATix is the only Trust wide staff recognition scheme and where themes will be collated, and improvement opportunities reviewed and reported to the People and Engagement committee.
Can I still celebrate a GREATix by taking photos and sharing them on social media?
We would love to celebrate your GREATix with you. If you have a photo taken with your GREATix certificate and send it to internalcommunications@eastamb.nhs.uk we will share it on our social media channels.
Published 1st February 2022