UHNM celebrates improvement in staff in NHS Staff Survey

Employees at University Hospitals of North Midlands have reported improvements in staff morale, team-working and being able to work flexibly in the annual national NHS staff survey for 2024.

The survey is the biggest of its kind in the NHS gathering views on employee experience at work around key areas such as equality, diversity and inclusion; health and wellbeing; morale; quality of care: and safe environment.

The survey is aligned to the seven themes that make up the NHS People Promise, as well as measuring levels of staff engagement and morale, with people working at UHNM rating their experience higher than the average acute trust for morale.

This year’s final response rate to the survey at UHNM, which includes Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford was 45 per cent (5,680 employees) – which is the same as last year and in line with other NHS organisations. Staff answered questions under seven ‘People Promises’ and two themes in the survey. These were:

  • we are compassionate and inclusive;
  • we are recognised and rewarded;
  • we each have a voice that counts;
  • we are safe and healthy;
  • we are always learning;
  • we work flexibly;
  • we are a teamstaff engagement
  • morale.

Improvements have been made overall across three areas with the remaining areas seeing no change in scores. When comparing UHNM results from last year to 2024, there was an improvement in the number of staff saying UHNM respects individual differences; provides opportunities for flexible working; as well as staff recommending UHNM as a place to work.

Jane Haire, UHNM Chief People Officer, thanked staff for completing the survey. She said: “I am pleased that staff have chosen to voice their experiences in the survey. It is encouraging to see we have either sustained improvements from last year or further improved in the nine areas despite all year round operational pressures.”

She added that UHNM had specifically focused throughout the year on working flexibly and providing a compassionate and inclusive environment, so it was pleasing to see that survey results had made either year on year improvements or improvements had been maintained.

“Our results show the improvements made in 2023 have been sustained, we are still not where we want to be. Over the coming year we will be building on the progress so far which includes continuing our focus on creating a work environment which is safe and healthy.”

Simon Constable, UHNM Chief Executive, said: “The survey results are vital as they provide a snapshot of how everyone at UHNM feels about working here.  

“Our results reflect how our people are looking out for each other, working together and managing each other well. There is always room for improvement, so we need to retain our focus on our people, listen and make informed changes so that we can make UHNM a great place to work for everyone.”