Half of NHS workers sick of their jobs
Morale among NHS staff is so low that three out of five workers have thought of quitting their jobs, an independent survey of 24,000 employees by Income Data Services reveals.
Three out of five staff said they had been bullied by patients or carers and two out of five said they had been subjected to violence or abuse at work. The worst affected were ambulance workers; four out of five said they had faced abuse and violence from people they were trying to help.
Ethnic minority staff suffered disproportionately from harassment and bullying by other staff and management, with nearly one in five saying they were subject to unjustified criticism, malicious complaints and unfair performance reviews.
The biggest reasons for wanting to quit the NHS were low levels of pay, unfair grading, feeling undervalued because of the way NHS managers treated them and the continual restructuring of health and primary care trusts. More than half those wanting to quit would like a job outside the NHS while more than a third considered leaving to take a job in private hospitals and clinics.
The survey, commissioned by 14 trade unions representing 1.1 million staff - from nurses and midwives to radiographers and porters - is being sent to the independent pay review body as part of the unions’ case for a “substantially above inflation” increase in next year’s pay round.
It comes after union anger at the government’s intervention this year to implement a 2.5% pay award in England in two stages. The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland defied the Treasury and awarded staff the full sum.
A threatened national strike in England was only averted when Alan Johnson, the health secretary, intervened and restructured the English pay deal to ensure the lowest paid got substantially higher rises.
At a press conference yesterday, unions warned Gordon Brown not to repeat the staging of any pay award next year. The unions representing midwives and radiographers warned of industrial action if the prime minister intervened again.
Karen Jennings, head of health at Unison, the biggest public sector union in the NHS, warned: “This year, the government has scored an own goal when it comes to nurses’ and health workers’ pay. It is a disgrace that 60% are looking for work outside the NHS and the lesson to government is clear - NHS staff are angry.
“This year, we need a substantial, above-inflation pay rise just to put health workers back on an even keel. They are faced with mounting gas, water, electricity and housing bills. They cannot afford to take another pay cut. We are putting the government on notice that health workers want a fair deal.”
In evidence to the pay review body, the union cited huge rises in housing costs, which had put homes in all London boroughs and major towns in the West Country out of the reach of NHS workers. Big rises in mortgages, childcare costs, fares and petrol have also contributed to demands for a large pay rise.
Highest turnover of staff in 2005 and 2006 - the latest figures available - was among midwives, support workers, trainee scientists and senior managers.
Warren Town, head of industrial relations at the Society of Radiographers, said yesterday that he expected a big increase in the number of staff leaving, with some departments losing up to 50% of staff in key areas such as cancer treatment.
