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Would you be happy for a loved one to receive NHS care where you work?

NHS staff survey shows only 60% of nurses in England would be satisfied to do so, and reveals worrying effects of chronic staff shortages
Photo of patient on trolley in busy NHS ward

NHS staff survey shows only 60% of nurses in England would be satisfied to do so, and reveals worrying effects of chronic staff shortages

Picture: Alamy

A growing number of nurses in England say they would not be happy for a loved one to receive the current standard of care provided where they work, according to an annual NHS staff survey.

Findings from the latest survey show that almost 40% of nurses would not be happy with their organisation’s care if a friend or relative needed treatment, with just 61.8% saying they would be satisfied – a fall of 12% since 2020.

Staff shortages and stress highlighted by survey respondents

The sharp decline in perceived quality of care follows growing pressure on nurses due to staff shortages, with only a fifth of NHS workers in England reporting there are enough staff for them to do their job properly.

Additionally, only 38.7% of nurses surveyed said they were able to meet conflicting demands at work, with half of nursing staff saying they had felt unwell due to stress at work in the past 12 months.

‘Devastation waiting in the wings’ if action not taken on staffing

RCN director for England Patricia Marquis said: ‘These findings lay bare not only the intensifying staffing crisis in our NHS, but the devastation that is waiting in the wings if action is not taken quickly.

‘Nursing staff are the bedrock of the NHS, and the largest profession within the service. Chronic staff shortages create stress and suffering for everyone in healthcare – day after day, week after week – and it is patients who ultimately feel the impact of these compounding pressures.’

Latest figures show there are more than 124,000 vacancies in the NHS in England, including 43,619 nursing posts.

Errors and near misses witnessed by almost half of nurses

Amid the staffing crisis, 44.8% of nurses and midwives confirmed in the survey that they have seen errors, near misses or incidents that could have hurt staff or patients in the last month.

Ms Marquis said: ‘The data on these errors and incidents is another urgent reminder of the investment that the nursing workforce and its patients desperately need.’

The staff survey, carried out between September and December 2022, was responded to by 47% of the NHS workforce in England, which equates to around 151,000 nurses.

Less that a fifth of nurses satisfied with their pay

The findings come as health unions are set to continue talks with the government over pay next week – the survey reveals just 18% of nurses were satisfied with their pay.

It is hoped that a new pay offer might be agreed between the Department of Health and Social Care and trade unions in the coming days, which would then be put to their members for feedback.

‘We know more needs to be done’ to support NHS staff

NHS England’s national director for people Em Wilkinson-Brice praised NHS staff for their ‘vital’ work under enormous pressure.

She added: ‘The survey results sadly show a decrease in satisfaction and while it does show improvement in people feeling supported by their line manager… we know more needs to be done.

‘So the NHS is supporting organisations and systems to focus on those things staff tell us matter to them, such as flexible working, line management, leadership development and career pathways, within a compassionate and inclusive culture.’


Further information

View interactive results of the NHS Staff Survey


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