New findings from a national survey of bank only workers in the NHS reveal a concerning rise in incidents of physical violence and discrimination from patients and the public over the past year.
Results from the 2024 NHS Staff Survey for bank only workers, coordinated by the independent charity Picker on behalf of NHS England, included responses from almost 25,000 NHS bank workers from across more than 150 organisations. The survey included in-house bank workers without a substantive or fixed term contract in secondary and tertiary care organisations. ranging from allied health professionals to ambulance workers. The survey covers all aspects of work experiences, with a particular focus on NHS England’s People Promise.
Physical violence and discrimination
A quarter (25.3%) of bank only workers reported experiencing at least one incident of physical violence from patients and the public in the last 12 months, up from 23.7% in 2023. This includes half (50.1%) of all nursing and healthcare assistants responding to the survey. This increase in physical violence from patients and the public was seen across a range of occupation groups:
- Ambulance workers: 26.8% (up from 25.5% in 2023)
- Registered nurses and midwives: 26.8% (up from 24.1% in 2023)
- Allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and scientific and technical workers: 20.4% (up from 16.4% in 2023)
The proportion of bank only workers experiencing discrimination from patients and the public has also risen – up to 14.8% in 2024, compared to 13.9% in 2023.
Improvements in work-life balance and burnout
Despite the rise in violence and discrimination, the survey also highlights positive developments in other areas. Many bank only workers continue to benefit from the flexibility of their roles, contributing to work-life balance. Seven in ten (70.7%) bank only workers reported achieving a good work-life balance (up from 69.4% in 2023). All other occupational groups except ambulance workers reported improvements in this area.
In line with improvements in work-life balance, most measures of staff burnout have also improved. The proportion of bank only workers who said they ‘often’ or ‘always’ feel burnt out due to their job fell to 17.5%, down from 19.0% in 2023.
Commenting on the results, Chris Graham, Group CEO at Picker, said: “These latest results paint a mixed picture of life as a bank only worker in the NHS. While many continue to benefit from the flexibility and improved work-life balance offered by bank roles, rising reports of incidents of violence and discrimination from patients and the public are a cause for concern – particularly for the many bank nursing and healthcare assistants reporting experiences of these unacceptable behaviours.
“It is welcome, then, that the Secretary of State announced measures last week to tackle violence against those working in the NHS – including mandatory reporting at a national level and analysis to understand if these behaviours affect certain groups disproportionately.
“Employers can also use the survey data to understand trends at a local level, engaging with bank only workers to tailor interventions to tackle incidents of violence and aggression.
“We all know that the NHS is under significant pressure: as the latest British Social Attitudes survey results show, the public are deeply concerned about access to services. The upcoming ten year plan must reassure both healthcare workers and the public by acting as a blueprint for change. The NHS’s temporary workforce will continue to play an important role, so it is essential that further action is taken to ensure workplace safety for all: no one should experience violence or aggression in the workplace.”
