The 2008 NHS staff survey has revealed what appears to be quite a positive bunch of statistics.
Whether this is because it has been firmly press released or relies on carefully worded questions is neither here nor there - Clare Chapman, the NHS HR chief, is sold that the necessary improvements have been made.
Questionnaires were completed between October and December by 160,000
workers from all 390 NHS trusts. Of the 36 questions asked, only two
were worse than the year before (although there were 26 new questions,
but hey, who's counting?).
There were significant positive improvements in questions relating to infection control, while work-related stress and bullying/harassment were both down. For more on the report, click here.
"When you look at last year, the area of real focus for the social partnership forum called for attention to bullying and harassment and clearly there has been attention to that and improvement in that area," Clare Chapman told me today.
She added that some of the negative statistics - 1 in 10 staff are still subjected to violence from patients while 2% have been physically abused by fellow staff - would come under the same level of scrutiny in the coming year.
But not everyone has been so positive about the statistics.
"The violence we see, it definitely needs attention but you need to put it in the context of all improvements in other areas, I think that's critical. With those improvements, this is a positive survey," said Chapman.
There were significant positive improvements in questions relating to infection control, while work-related stress and bullying/harassment were both down. For more on the report, click here.
"When you look at last year, the area of real focus for the social partnership forum called for attention to bullying and harassment and clearly there has been attention to that and improvement in that area," Clare Chapman told me today.
She added that some of the negative statistics - 1 in 10 staff are still subjected to violence from patients while 2% have been physically abused by fellow staff - would come under the same level of scrutiny in the coming year.
But not everyone has been so positive about the statistics.
- Guardian - Morale patchy among NHS staff, says survey
- BBC - NHS workers 'feel overstretched'
- Personnel Today - Violence against NHS staff fails to decline, staff survey reveals
- Nursing Times - Unions call for better NHS staffing levels following staff survey
"The violence we see, it definitely needs attention but you need to put it in the context of all improvements in other areas, I think that's critical. With those improvements, this is a positive survey," said Chapman.
