The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital has received a mixed reaction from staff in their latest NHS survey results.
In the annual study, the largest staff opinion survey in the world, the RD&E featured 11 'negative findings' and nine 'positive findings'.
The survey results also show that only 56% of staff at the Royal Devon & Exeter trust would recommend treatment at the hospital - the average for all trusts surveyed.
Included in the negative findings was the trust featuring in the lowest 20% of staff satisfaction with the quality of work and patient care they are able to deliver, in the lowest 20% of staff agreeing that their role makes a difference and being in the highest 20% of staff who witnessed potentially harmful errors, near misses or incidents in the last month. A total of 20% of the staff surveyed reported they witnessed the errors. See a full list of negative and positive results below.
UNISON, the UK's largest health union, said the results of the NHS staff survey showed health workers facing an uphill battle to care for patients in the face of job cuts, mounting pressure and stress.
Stating that the survey highlighted the continuing problem of violence against staff in the NHS, with ambulance crews the worst affected (33%). And the continuing pay freeze is taking its toll, with two thirds of staff dissatisfied with their levels of pay.
Sara Gorton, UNISON Deputy Head of Health, said:
"The staff survey gives a snapshot of the pressures that staff are facing in the NHS.
"It is extremely worrying that a third feel that there are not enough staff to be able to do their jobs properly. This must ring alarm bells in the light of the tragic events at Mid Staffordshire. The staff shortages across the NHS are a result of Government pressure to cut costs. This cost-cutting must not be allowed to recreate the serious problems at Mid Staffordshire Hospital.
"Despite 70% of staff working extra hours it is sad to see that so many feel undervalued by their trust. More worrying still is that only 35% believe communications between staff and senior managers is effective.
"Much more work needs to be done to ensure that staff are listened to and their concerns acted on."
BOTTOM FIVE RANKING SCORES
Percentage of staff feeling satisfied with the quality of work and patient care they
are able to deliver - 70%. National Average for acute trusts - 78%
Percentage of staff reporting good communication between senior management
and staff - 20%. National Average for acute trusts - 27%
Percentage of staff having well structured appraisals in last 12 months - 29%. National Average for acute trusts - 36%
Percentage of staff agreeing that their role makes a difference to patients - 87%. National Average for acute trusts - 89%
Percentage of staff witnessing potentially harmful errors, near misses or
incidents in last month - 38%. National Average for acute trusts - 34%.
TOP FIVE RANKING SCORES
Percentage of staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from staff in last
12 months - 18%. National Average for acute trusts - 24%
Percentage of staff experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from patients,
relatives or the public in last 12 months - 22%. National Average for acute trusts - 30%
Percentage of staff experiencing physical violence from staff in last 12 months - 1%. National Average for acute trusts - 3%
Percentage of staff suffering work-related stress in last 12 months - 30%. National Average for acute trusts - 37%
Percentage of staff experiencing discrimination at work in last 12 months - 7%. National Average for acute trusts - 11%
The results of the survey have been published just weeks after the public inquiry into health care failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
This study found that only one-third of NHS employees felt that communication between senior managers and staff was effective, and just 28% believed senior managers involved staff in important decisions.
While 86% of NHS staff felt encouraged by their organisation to report errors and near misses, only 61% thought action was taken to prevent similar errors occurring in the future.
"There are clearly some areas where we can improve," said Dean Royles, chief executive of NHS Employers. "Staff are showing concerns about stress and longer working hours. The NHS resolutely needs to explore new approaches in its efforts to build a culture where staff feel confident to report concerns."
But he added: "Amid all the uncertainties and concerns around the health and social care bill, efficiency drives, industrial action, pay freezes and pension increases these are a set of good results.
"They also note that appraisals, staff engagement and job satisfaction have got better and this really is a credit to the effort and skill of HR teams in the NHS and the work they do with staff."
Responding to the findings, the CIPD said the results highlighted some welcome improvements, but that more needed to be done to develop communication with senior managers.
