21.03.11
NHS staff survey reveals room for improvement
Improvements have been made to a number of outcomes, but violence to NHS staff is “still high”, the 2011 NHS staff survey suggests. The number of staff who had experienced some form of physical violence inflicted by patients, relatives and the public stood at 8%, remaining at the same level as 2010.
However, the survey also highlighted the advancement in staff knowledge, reporting that the number of staff who knew how to report a problem about negligence or an offence had improved from 87% to 89%.
The survey, gaining 135,000 responses and published on March 20, 2012, was greeted positively by members of the national Social Partnership Forum (SPF). Simon Burns, minister of health and chair of the national SPF, stated: “This survey shows that NHS staff remain committed to providing the highest quality of care to their patients.”
Overall, results were the same or better than the 2010 survey in 25 out of 38 key measures, including reducing incidents of bullying, harassment and violence experienced by staff and improving staff appraisals. In acute trusts, 30 of 38 key findings stayed the same or improved and in mental health trusts 32 of 38 key findings were the same or better.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: “This survey shows that NHS staff remain committed to providing the highest quality of care to their patients. The number of staff happy with the standard of care remains stable, with some foundation trusts performing to a very high standard.”
Yet, he also acknowledged that “too many trusts continue to have less favourable levels of recommendation to family and friends”, as this figure fell from 53% in 2010 to 51% in 2011, and suggested that the NHS “should use this as a basis for seeing improvement in the services we deliver for patients in the future”.
Christina McAnea, head of health at Unison, commented on the importance of unions as an effective tool: “It’s important that we continue to address these issues in partnership over the coming months at a local, regional and national level.
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]