NHS staff well-being
August 24, 2009 in Leading and Managing Results, Public Services, Workforce Management
Photo:AnA oMeLeTe, flickr
In an interim review for the DoH, Dr Steve Boorman recommends the NHS should be leading by example on staff well-being to improve outcomes for patients.
He found significant evidence that organisations’ performance were linked to staff well-being –ill health being a serious barrier to consistent high quality care. Dr Boorman suggests system-wide improvement can build on examples of best practice.
As a result of the research, Dr Boorman recommends NHS Trusts’ achievements on staff well-being should be assessed by the Care Quality Commission.
Suggesting staff should avoid smoking in public areas, he makes recommendations for specific issues that NHS Trusts should address -
- ensuring occupational health services meet particular standards
- improving healthiness of food in restaurants
- setting targets for reducing staff obesity
- promotingmental well being
- ensuring management practice is in line with HSE standards
- including specific questions on staff well-being in annual staff surveys
- including material on the role of occupational health in management induction and training
- providing staff with self-referral access to occupational health services
From a review of literature and workshops and surveys involving over 15,000 NHS staff, Dr Boorman’s key findings were -
- around 27% of staff smoked – in line with the wider adult population
- over a third of NHS staff are in moderate to very poor mental health – intimidation from patients and relatives being a particular concern
- around 40% of NHS staff exercise less than national recommendations
- more than 75% of NHS staff believe the state of their health affects patient care
- around 20% of NHS staff reported attending work for 1 or 2 days while incapable through ill-health
- over 5% reported spending more than six days at work while unwell
Responses to the review have included the following -
Lord Darzi said the health of staff remained one of the most crucial areas of unfinished business – stressing NHS workers needed to become ambassadors for healthy living.
The Department of Health (DH) said it welcomed Dr Boorman’s report as an “important initiative”. Unison, the UK’s largest healthcare union, welcomed the review as a move towards a consistent approach and a joined-up agenda for the NHS on staff health and well-being.
The Work Foundation concluded the level of presenteeism, affecting NHS productivity, gave cause for concern, highlighting need for a cultural change in the NHS.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development called on NHS trusts to improve training in managing people, a critical element of the development of all professions involved in the delivery of public services.
How challenging are these recommendations for the NHS at a time when it will, simultaneously, be asked to do more with less?
Do you think improving staff well-being could play a significant part in delivering the efficiencies required over coming years?
Which do you think is most likely, that the outcome of improved well-being would be better patient outcomes or simply more cost efficiencies?
