NHS poll reveals gulf between foundation hospitals and ancient-style trusts, with many workers struggling with heavy workloadsTwo-fifths of health supply staff would not recommend their friends or family being treated at hospitals and clinics where they employment, with many workers apparently disillusioned by the administration’s NHS shakeup, according to a Department of Health survey.The ninth annual staff poll in the NHS, which drew 134,000 responses, revealed fewer than a third of NHS employees believe there are enough workers at their trust to enable them to do their job properly, while 45% affirm they do not have age to complete their tasks.There appeared to be a growing divide between foundation trusts, freed from Whitehall control, and the ancient-style NHS trusts. Staff in the former scored their hospitals the best – nine outside of 10 staff in West Sussex’s Queen Victoria foundation trust would be pleased for a friend or relative to be treated there. By comparison, only a third of staff at Croydon’s NHS trust agreed when questioned the same inquiry. The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, plans to give every hospital foundation status.The survey found staff rated highly feeling part of a team however some were struggling with heavy workloads. More than one in five (22%) affirm they cannot do their job to a average they are personally pleased with, 60% reckon they can and 17% neither assent nor disagree.Overall, the Department of Health pointed outside the measures were the same or bigger in 25 outside of 38 key measures. Lansley said: “This survey shows that NHS staff remain committed to providing the highest quality of attention to their patients.”The number of staff pleased with the average of attention remains stable, with some foundation trusts performing to a very high average. Also many trusts continue to have less favourable levels of recommendation to family and friends. The NHS should employ this as a basis for seeing improvement in the services we deliver for patients in the prospect.”However, the unions said their own surveys revealed a deep disenchantment in the NHS as pressures have been building over the past year. Christina McAnea, Unison’s head of health, said: “The staff survey reflects some of the pressures felt by staff, however our own survey painted a much bleaker picture. Unison’s survey showed that 85% experienced an increase in workload and 83% suffered an increase in stress over the past year.”The increase in workload is not a coincidence; it is down to cuts in staffing and to a lack of cover for staff on sick or on leave. And it is not just staff who suffer – the increase in workload and stress is felt by patients and by workers’ families.”Dr Peter Carter, the chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said; “If ever there was proof of the pressures hitting the NHS frontline then this is it. It is worrying however not surprising that numbers of staff prepared to recommend their trust as a place to employment are decreasing. Staff cutbacks are leaving nurses and other NHS workers so stretched that they can feel unable to deliver the level of attention for patients that they would wish.”NHSHealthTrade unionsRandeep Rameshguardian.co.uk © 2012 Twitter News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Employ of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
DOWNLOAD: Michael Bay