Valuing our NHS staff

The NHS staff survey is one of the largest workplace surveys in the world. It has been run every year since 2003 and this year over half a million staff completed the questionnaire.

Its findings are revealing about the state of the NHS and its workforce. For example, only 48% of respondents felt their work was valued by their employer. This is an increase on previous years but by implication means 52% of staff think their work is not valued.

Our workforce is feeling the pressure physically and emotionally too, 28% reported musculoskeletal problems and 40% reported stress as a result of work. 56% have gone into work when too ill to do so in the last year but less than 30% think their Trust takes positive action on health and well-being.

We repeatedly tell people they should look after themselves to ensure they can look after others, but this is clearly not happening in practice. A sick and stressed workforce is more susceptible to other illness and a bad winter of flu could see more staff off sick.

However, it is not just employers that are not helping. Nearly 30% of staff reported being harassed or verbally abused by patients and their families and 15% experience violence. Rates were far higher in ambulance services than elsewhere.

As a society, as employers and as people we need to value our healthcare staff. They need to be physically and mentally healthy to look after us when we need them. They need to be able to look after us without the fear of violence or abuse.