A new report has found that the impact of the pandemic on the female health and care workforce has demonstrably worsened and more women are reporting an even greater negative impact on their physical and emotional well-being.
The NHS Confederation’s Health & Care Women Leaders Network has presented the findings of a survey to find out how the impact of the pandemic on women working across health and care changed as the crisis progressed. It follows up on a previous survey and report published in the summer of 2020, and finds that, since summer 2020, the impact of the pandemic on the female workforce has demonstrably worsened and more women are reporting an even greater negative impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Specifically, more than 80 per cent of respondents reported that their job has had a negative impact on their emotional well-being s a result of coronavirus, whilst 65 per cent said their job has caused a greater negative impact on their physical health as a result of the pandemic. Such a deterioration suggests that support may be either insufficient or absent.
The survey also found a work-life balance struggle, with the average number of additional hours taken on each week rising by 1.5 hours, to an additional 12.81 hours. The number of hours spent each week on caring responsibilities outside of work also rose.
Samantha Allen, chair of the NHS Confederation’s Health and Care Women Leaders Network and chief executive of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “These survey findings underline the importance of the focus being placed upon the physical and mental health of NHS and care staff. As the majority of the health and care workforce is female, a significant burden in overcoming the enormous challenges we face in recovering services will fall on the shoulders of women.
“We need to see tailored support specifically for the needs of female staff and this should include recruitment, retention, flexible working and career progression. We are concerned that if these issues are not addressed, it could intensify the impact on our workforce at a time when the NHS can ill-afford to lose any more staff. We are worried the impact of COVID-19 could set the NHS back further when we want to create the conditions where our workforce is valued and all can progress in their careers, particularly those who work less than full time.
“We need to make sure we look after people, after the incredibly difficult experiences they have been through during the pandemic while supporting patients, families and carers and with the increased responsibilities of caring for children and adults outside of work. Looking after our staff will enable us to continue looking after the people who need our services. The findings of this survey must be a driver of real and lasting change.”
More than 1,200 NHS staff responded to at least part of the survey, carried out by the NHS Confederation’s Health and Care Women Leaders Network, with about 900 completing it in full, including more than 800 staff who identified as female. The results cover the responses of the women who answered every question.
