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Two-thirds of NHS workers considering leaving their jobs, survey finds

A survey of 10,500 NHS workers by the union Unison has shown staff dissatisfaction at pay and staff shortages. 

NHS staff are at the centre of a ‘perfect storm’ of increased workloads, stress and patient numbers, with 65% seriously considering leaving their jobs, according to a survey.

The survey of 10,500 NHS workers by Unison reveals that top reasons for leaving are feeling undervalued due to levels of pay, and staff shortages.

More than half the respondents to the survey say they are doing unpaid overtime and of these three quarters are working five hours a week unpaid while one quarter work six hours or more. Staff report that they feel under moral pressure to do so for patients and their colleagues.

Hiring bank, agency or NHS Professionals staff is listed as the main way employers are addressing staff shortages, but 64% of respondents said that staff shortages were happening frequently. 

One in five respondents said they have a second job with just over half of these staff doing bank work as well as their main job and 41% having a second job outside the NHS.

A total of 58% of respondents had personally experienced some form of violence, harassment or bullying in the last year at work, or witnessed it happening to a colleague.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said government ministers were allowing the NHS to ‘implode’.