The results of the 2022 NHS Staff Survey have been published.
The survey is one of the largest workforce surveys in the world and has been conducted every year since 2003.
The survey asks NHS staff in England about their experiences working for NHS organisations.
Over 1.3 million NHS employees in England were invited to participate in the survey between September and December 2022, with 264 NHS organisations taking part, including all 215 trusts in England. 636,348 staff responded giving a 46 per cent response rate.
86.9 per cent of respondents said that they feel their role makes a difference to patients and 74 per cent that care of patients is their organisation's top priority.
57.4 per cent of those who responded would recommend their organisation as a place to work.
62.9 per cent said they were happy with the standard of care provided by their organisation, this is compared to 74.2 per cent in 2020.
Only 56 per cent of respondents said that they feel their organisation acts fairly with regard to career progression or promotion regardless of ethnic background, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age.
8.3 per cent of staff reported that they had experienced discrimination from patients/service users their relatives or other members of the public and 9 per cent said that they had experienced it from managers or colleagues.
Importantly, only 25.6 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with their level of pay. Furthermore, only 26.4 per cent said there are enough staff at their organisation for them to do their job properly and only 55.6 per cent say they have enough materials, supplies and equipment to do their work.
With regards to staff wellbeing, 44.8 per cent of staff have felt unwell as a result of work-related stress in the last 12 months and 56.6 per cent have come into work in the last three months despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties.
Responding to the latest NHS Staff Survey results, NHS National Director for People, Em Wilkinson-Brice, said: “Our staff have shown time and time again how vital they are to the country, and I would like to thank each and every one of them for the work they do for patients everyday.
“In the last 12 months alone, staff have been under unimaginable pressure – they have managed four record-breaking months for attendances in A&E, treated more cancer patients than ever before and faced the twindemic of covid and flu.
“The survey results sadly show a decrease in satisfaction and while it does show improvement in people feeling supported by their line manager and that staff have more opportunities to develop in their careers than last year, 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.”
