A report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) claims that staff health and wellbeing in the NHS is ‘too often seen as an optional extra’ and highlights the fact that less than two thirds of Trusts (65%) have a staff health and wellbeing plan in place.
The report, Work and Wellbeing in the NHS: why staff health matters to patient care, says that high quality patient care relies on skilled staff who are not only physically and mentally well enough to do their jobs, but also feel valued, supported and engaged. The report states that good staff health, wellbeing and engagement can reap significant benefits for patient safety including reduced MRSA infection rates and lower patient mortality rates.
In addition, patient satisfaction rates are higher and patient experience is better where an NHS workforce is engaged and healthier. Likewise, NHS organisations rated as having ‘poor’ staff health and wellbeing were found on average to be among the 25% worst performers on measures of patient satisfaction.
Within the report NHS workforce benefits are also emphasised. The report highlights that organisations with higher levels of staff engagement have been found to have 13% lower staff turnover and significantly reduced sickness absence rates. Similarly, healthcare providers can reap over £9 in benefits for every £1 pound spent on staff health and wellbeing programmes.
The report cites a lack of national leadership, lack of empowerment within the NHS and mental health provision as areas for concern. Additionally, priority areas for action incorporate clinical leadership, managerial involvement and allowing staff to have more influence over their work.
Other points included in the report included:
- 700,000 NHS staff are currently overweight.
- Only 28% of NHS Trusts in England reported that they have a plan or policy in place to help reduce obesity among staff.
- 38% of NHS staff in England report having suffered work related stress. (2013/14).
- 57% of NHS Trusts have a plan or policy to support the mental health of their staff.
- Staff often note a shortage of basic staff amenities including adequate working space, rest facilities or somewhere to buy food.
- Access and inequality is still an issue, with only 37% of outsourced staff having access to the same support services to tackle long-term sickness absence.
RCP clinical adviser on NHS workforce health, Dr Sian Williams, said: “Now that we have clear evidence that the health of NHS staff affects the quality of care that patients receive, it is time to move beyond short-term, one-off initiatives to help staff improve their health at work.
Trusts must consider staff health in all that they do; this includes the design of buildings, the work environment, and the work itself. Most importantly it includes the way staff are managed. With only two thirds of Trusts having a plan in place for the health and wellbeing of staff – and nearly 40% of staff reporting they have suffered work related stress it is clear that we need action now.
“No healthcare worker aspires to ill health and poor wellbeing, and many who experience it describe a sense of shame, embarrassment or guilt at having let down their colleagues. We owe it to those who work hard every day for our NHS to help them maintain and improve their health. And we owe it to our patients to provide a healthy, engaged workforce. Staff wellbeing should no longer be treated as optional extra for the NHS – it is critical to patient care.”
