Scope

The Rail Wellbeing Alliance (RWA) and its subgroups coordinate a variety of health activities across the industry, so that legal requirements, cost benefits, and better health provision within organisations can be universally achieved. This includes concerns identified in Leading Health and Safety on Britain's Railway (LHSBR) strategy. In particular, these relate to mental wellbeing, musculoskeletal disorders, fatigue, assessment and management of occupational health hazards, occupational health provision, reporting and monitoring of workforce health and wellbeing, as well as health promotion and ill health prevention. 

The Rail Wellbeing Alliance’s Guiding Principles:

  • We are volunteers who do this because we care, not because we’ve been told to.
  • The Rail Wellbeing Alliance is not a governance forum. It exists to support colleagues, open door and as far as we can, lead by example.
  • Our plan is to draw on the best technical and leadership skills in the industry to deliver great results.
  • We use our person networks to help share key and agreed narratives, maintaining a close relationship with sector groups.

The RWA reports directly to the LHSBR Executive Advisory Group (LEAG) and typically meets every six weeks. The group produces a summary of the ‘Key Messages’ after each meeting, which highlight work delivered or underway. This can be downloaded from the resources section of this page.

If you have any questions or wish to contact the group, please email: Health&Wellbeing@rssb.co.uk

Rail Wellbeing Alliance handbook

We have produced this informal guide to explain what we are doing to help the industry to be healthier and happier.

Message from the Chair

The railway is a huge part of this country’s history and future. Sometimes that responsibility weighs so heavily we forget that it only exists because of the people who work on it, travel on it and the freight customers who rely on it.

Even in the relatively short time I have been privileged to work in this industry, safety standards have changed, and what was considered “normal” isn’t seen that way now. Go further back, 30 or 40 years - many of our people’s careers do go back that far - and safety standards are all but unrecognisable.

We, the people of the railway made changes happen. We worked together to set in motion a cultural change that is still developing now. It’s time we took that same spirit, drive and determination and do the same for health and happiness. 

Physical and mental health are crucial for people to feel happy and happy people perform well. Passengers and customers who meet happy and confident railway colleagues will feel happier themselves - it’s infectious.

We can’t solve every problem with health and happiness - we still need to invest sensibly and focus on performance - but my goodness it will make a difference.

This Rail Wellbeing Alliance is dedicated to supporting industry to make it happen.

Subgroups