Staff take part in sixth annual national survey

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will this week ask staff to give their views about their working lives, as part of the sixth national NHS staff survey.

Eight hundred and fifty staff have been randomly selected to receive a questionnaire, covering issues such as work-life balance, team working, job satisfaction, training, management and supervision, violence and health and safety.

The survey has this year been revamped to reflect the recent research commissioned by the Department of Health. New questions have been added to glean more information about things staff say matter most to them, such as whether they feel they are supported to do a good job and whether they have the opportunity to improve the way they work.

Acting Chief Executive, Anna Dugdale, said: “I believe that for us to provide even better care and services we need to understand where our staff feel we could make improvements to their working lives. The survey is critical in helping us to work our staff to achieve that aim.”

“I would ask all staff receiving a questionnaire to take part in this important survey. Last year 67 per cent of employees returned completed questionnaires and this year we are hoping for an even better return.”

The survey is organised by the independent watchdog, the Healthcare Commission, in conjunction with the Staff Survey Advice Centre at Aston University.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will use the staff views expressed in the survey to introduce improvements in working lives. Following last year’s survey the Trust has introduced a number of changes including monitoring appraisals to ensure all staff are appraised, and enhancing staffing levels to relflect increased activity. The national staff survey will also provide an opportunity for the Trust to benchmark itself against similar-sized acute and teaching foundation trusts.

The Healthcare Commission will publish reports for each NHS trust and the overall national findings in March 2009.