Behind the care: George Ogleby
We interviewed George, a Communications and Engagement Lead for Sustainability. He tells us all about Guy’s and St Thomas’ efforts to prioritise the environment and boost staff wellbeing.
What is your role?
Our team makes sure environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Guy’s and St Thomas’. This means treating our patients in the most environmentally friendly way. It also means transforming our green spaces, improving the air we all breathe, minimising waste and championing cleaner, greener ways of getting around.
My job is to spread the message about how Guy’s and St Thomas’ are taking action to protect the environment and empowering our staff, patients and visitors to take meaningful action in their own homes and in the workplace.
This ties in perfectly with my role as a Wellbeing Champion. Thanks to studies we know that creating a healthier local environment also boosts the health and wellbeing of patients, staff and visitors.
Tell us about a typical day
Most recently I’ve been leading on the launch of our new Green Plan to 2028. I spoke to our patients, staff, visitors and partners to ensure that our plan reflects what matters to them. Then, I would make sure we were communicating our objectives in an engaging and easy-to-understand way.
As part of the Green Plan launch, I hosted a staff wellbeing walk which was an opportunity for our colleagues to connect with like-minded individuals, get some fresh air and exercise. Wellbeing walks are a really great way of reducing the stresses of everyday work and checking in with peers in an informal setting – even if it’s just for half an hour.
What is the best thing about your job?
I have really enjoyed being part of a supportive and inspiring team who all want to create positive change in society. It’s also been an extremely rewarding experience having wellbeing conversations in my Wellbeing Champion role – knowing afterwards that you’ve played a part and hopefully made a real difference to the lives of colleagues.
