NHS Staff Survey shows worsening pay and conditions are taking their toll on staff

Full story in Nursing Notes, 6 March 2018

The NHS Staff Survey is the largest workforce survey in the world and has been conducted every year since 2003 and it asks NHS staff about their experiences of working for the NHS.

Staff, overall, said they were unhappy with the quality of work and care they are able to deliver – primarily due to underfunding and poor staffing levels.

Key figures from the survey include;

  • Only 31% of staff were satisfied with their level of pay.
  • 58% of staff worked additional unpaid hours.
  • 38% of staff reported feeling unwell due to work-related stress but 53% of staff attended work despite feeling unwell because they felt pressure from their manager or colleagues.
  • 29% of staff witnessed potentially harmful errors, near misses or incidents.
  • 15% of staff experienced physical violence from patients, relatives or the public but only 72% of cases were reported.
  • 28.0% of staff experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives with on 49% of cases being reported.

UNISON has said that it is a ‘disgrace’ that the government is relying on the goodwill of overworked staff to prop up the NHS.