A recent staff survey shows 87% staff feel their role makes a difference to patients, following a challenging year tackling COVID-19 and growing pressures on staff at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT).
The survey is run annually by all NHS Trusts and invites members of staff to answer questions about what it is like to work in the NHS and at their trust.
As well as overall engagement, the survey measures staff experience based on the seven themes in the NHS People Promise. Overall positivity of HHFT staff is highest in ‘We are compassionate and inclusive”.
Over three quarters of staff who responded to the survey thought that the care of patients and service users is a top priority for the organisation, with 71% saying they are enthusiastic about their job.
The trust, which runs hospitals in Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester, also scored 70% when staff were asked if they would be happy for friends or relatives to be treated at the trust, and 70% said they were able to make suggestions to improve their work.
Alex Whitfield, chief executive at Hampshire Hospitals, said: “This year our staff have faced enormous challenges. We continue to respond to COVID-19, whilst working hard to maintain other vital services.
“I am incredibly grateful to every member of our team who has taken the time to tell us what it’s like to work at Hampshire Hospitals in what has been a very tiring year. There are real areas of positivity, and I am delighted our work in compassion and inclusivity is being felt on the ground in our hospitals.
“A number of our results are not where we would want them to be. This reflects how challenging the last year has been and echoes many of the conversations I have with colleagues on the front line. We have not been able to protect our staff from all of the impact of the pandemic - we must, and we are, doing more to tackle this.
“Our staff are at the heart of everything we do – through the pandemic they have shown incredible compassion and resilience, but we know that teams are tired and it’s important we look after them.”
NHS trusts are given individual results and are benchmarked against others nationally.
Compared to other acute trusts, Hampshire Hospitals scored above average in three themes: We are recognised and rewarded, we are always learning, and we work flexibility. The trust is also in line with others in the themes we are compassionate & inclusive, and we are safe & healthy.
Kieron Galloway, chief people officer at the trust, added: “Overall when compared to acute trusts, our results are indicative of what others across the county have also seen and experienced – this has been a challenging year for our people with sustained pressure across our services. We can be proud that the results once again reflect the strong passion our people have for providing outstanding care for patients.
“Overall, we have scored lower than previous years, and this strengthens our commitment to listen to our people and to improve their workplace experiences. Introduction of our staff wellbeing programmes, expansion of our apprenticeship offering and targeted recruitment programmes, both in the UK and overseas, are just a few tangible examples of how we are acting. We remain committed to our ambition of making HHFT an outstanding place to work for every member of our team.”
The full NHS staff survey results can be found here.
