Shock survey on NHS staff

NHS staff in Shropshire hospitals feel so undervalued, over-worked and unsafe that many have considered quitting their jobs in the last year, an alarming survey today reveals.

More than one in 10 have been assaulted by patients or their relatives. The Healthcare Commission found scores of workers were attacked by the people they were trying to help.

Staff said they were not getting enough support, guidance and feedback from their immediate managers.

The survey also revealed that despite staff witnessing potentially harmful errors, near misses and incidents, some were going unreported. The independent watchdog admitted the findings highlighted the “challenges to making the NHS a better place to work”.

Responses were received from 155,922 staff from all 391 NHS trusts in England.

Results for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust showed 71 per cent of staff were working longer than the hours for which they are contracted.

The trust, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals, also had among the lowest scores of all acute trusts for job satisfaction, and registered an above average score for those considering leaving/looking for a new job within/outside the NHS.

Staff also highlighted the struggle in finding a good balance between their work and home life. The trust also had among the lowest percentages in the country for reporting errors. There were some positive findings with improvements in hygiene and infection control.

No-one was available for comment from the trust.

Commission chief executive Anna Walker said the results showed there were a lot of reasons to work in the NHS, but more needed to be done to tackle the violence health workers experienced.

“Trusts must continue to step up to this challenge because it is unacceptable for NHS staff to be put in the position where they face violence and abuse.”

On hospital deep-cleaning, she added: “At a time when public concern about healthcare-associated infections is so high, I’m pleased to see some improvements in this area. But trusts must make sure that frontline staff always have the necessary equipment to wash their hands.”

Key results from the 2007 NHS staff survey for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust:

• 404 out of a random sample of 845 staff completed the questionnaires.
• 71 per cent of staff work longer than the hours for which they are contracted.
• One of the lowest scores in the country by staff on work/life balance.
• Among the lowest scores of all acute trusts for support, guidance and feedback from managers.
• 75 per cent of staff said they had received health and safety training.
• 20 per cent suffered a work-related injury and 32 per cent experienced work-related stress.
• 15 per cent attacked by patients, five per cent by their relatives.
• 38 per cent had witnessed at least one error/ near miss/incident which could have hurt patients or staff of which 89 per cent (among the lowest in the country) had reported it .
• Average score for availability of hand-washing materials.
• Among the lowest scores of all acute trusts for job satisfaction.
• Above average score for those considering leaving and looking for a new job within/outside the NHS.

By Sunita Patel