UK – Health-care Commission

Citation

(2005), "UK – Health-care Commission", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2005.06218aab.003

UK – Health-care Commission

UK – Health-care CommissionThe NHS staff survey

Keywords: Performance appraisal, Working conditions, Workforce planning, National standards

During October and December 2003, over 200,000 staff in 572 NHS trusts and 21 strategic health authorities took part in the NHS staff survey (56 per cent of those invited). The survey only included direct employees, so in particular GPs and their staff were outside the scope of the survey. The results were published in a report on 29 July 2004.

The survey aimed to provide individual NHS employers, policy makers and national regulators with information about the attitudes and experience of staff. This information can then be used to assess the performance of the NHS as employers and to monitor the implementation of national policies to improve the working lives of staff.

The survey found that staff are generally satisfied with their jobs but there were areas where action is needed to bring about improvements. The report identified the following recommendations:

NHS employers need to:

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  Investigate and address high levels of violence, harassment and bullying of staff. Particular concerns in mental health, ambulance trusts and for nurses and shift workers.

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  Investigate and address high numbers of errors and incidents and work related injuries and stress.

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  Implement more thoroughly the current policies for management of people such as design of jobs, feedback to staff, appraisal, personal development plans, team working and support from supervisors.

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  Examine the scope to improve work life balance and reduce work pressure for staff.

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  Give a high priority to improving the climate of the organisation for e.g. through better communication and involvement of staff.

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  Use the national staff survey to monitor the implementation of existing policies and action to address local issues for staff.

DOH/employers and other national agencies need to:

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  investigate and address the significantly poorer experience of staff in ambulance trusts;

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  develop policies and guidance to assist organization in improving the work experience and management of shift workers;

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  use the results of the survey to target support for trust types and staff groups where there are particular issues; and

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  examine the reasons for the widely differing working patterns of NHS staff from different ethnic groups and the under representation of black and minority ethnic staff in ambulance trusts.

The Healthcare Commission will:

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  incorporate the survey results into its assessments of organisations and follow up actions taken by organisations on the basis of the survey;

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  further analyse the survey results to identify which staff factors relate most strongly to outcomes for patients; and

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  collaborate with others to reduce the burden of inspection by ensuring that the national surveyor provides a mechanism to monitor national policies which impact on NHS staff.

Further information and the full report of the analysis of the survey is available at: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/NationalFindings/Surveys/fs/en