NHSSCOTLAND STAFF SURVEY 2013 National Report

6. Key Findings

6.1 Highest scoring statements

The five statements in the 2013 NHSScotland Staff Survey eliciting the highest percentage positive response (based on all of the attitudinal questions with a five-point response scale) are shown in Figure 2. All of these statements had positive responses from two thirds or more of respondents. A high level of employee commitment to their job and understanding of their role was evidenced by the fact that almost nine in ten (87%) agreed that they were 'happy to go the extra mile at work when required' and 83% were 'clear what their duties and responsibilities are'. Positively too, three quarters of staff who responded to the survey agreed that 'they get the help and support they need from colleagues', whilst a similar proportion said that they 'still intend to be working within their Board in 12 months time'. Two thirds of respondents understood 'how their work fits into the overall aims of their Board'.

The five statements scoring highest in 2013 were also the five highest scoring in 2010. However, all of these scored a lower percentage positive response in 2013 when compared with 2010.

Figure 2: Most Positive Results 2013.

Note: The most positive results shown are based on all the attitudinal survey questions with a five-point response scale.

6.2 Lowest scoring statements

The five statements in the 2013 NHSScotland Staff Survey eliciting the lowest percentage positive response (based on all of the attitudinal questions with a five-point response scale) are shown in Figure 3. Three of the five lowest scoring statements related to how involved in decisions staff felt they were. This included the statement 'Staff are always consulted about changes at work' which received the lowest percentage positive response of all (26%). The other two statements linked to how involved staff felt in decisions related to how confident staff felt that 'their ideas or suggestions would be listened to' and to whether they had 'a choice in deciding what they do at work'.

The statement eliciting the second lowest percentage positive response was 'There are enough staff for me to do my job properly', with only 31% of respondents answering positively. This relates to the Staff Governance element 'Provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community'. The fifth lowest scoring statement highlights that only 39% of respondents felt that they were well informed about how changes made at work would 'work out in practice'.

Four of the five lowest scoring statements in 2013 were amongst the five lowest scoring in 2010. Three of these statements scored slightly lower in 2013 when compared with 2010 and one slightly higher. The remaining question (Q7a) 'I can meet all the conflicting demands on my time at work' was one of the five lowest scoring in 2010, but it should be noted that the wording of this question changed in 2013.

Figure 3: Least Positive Results 2013.

Note: The least positive results shown are based on all the attitudinal survey questions with a five-point response scale.

6.3 Summary Findings

Summarised below are the main survey findings in relation to each of the five elements of the Staff Governance Standard and the overall experience of working for NHSScotland.

6.3.1 Overall experience of working for NHSScotland

All six statements in this section received a positive response from half or more of all survey respondents. A high level of employee commitment to their job was evidenced by the fact that almost nine out of ten respondents agreed 'I am happy to go the 'extra mile' at work when required' (87%). Also, three out of four agreed 'I still intend to be working within my Board in 12 months time' (75%). The two statements with the lowest percentage positive response related less to the individual's own job and more to the workings of the wider Board. These were: 'I would recommend my Board as a good place to work' (50%) and 'Care of patients/service users is my Board's top priority' (55%).

6.3.2 Well informed

The majority of staff who responded to the survey felt that they were well informed in relation to their own work area. More than eight out of ten respondents were clear what their duties and responsibilities were (83%). Also, a large proportion of respondents understood how their work fits into the overall aims of their NHS Board (66%) and felt that their line manager communicated with them effectively (61%). However, a minority of respondents (48%) felt that they were kept well informed in respect of what was happening within their wider Board or were clear how changes made at work would 'work out in practice' (39%).

6.3.3 Appropriately trained and developed

The proportion of respondents who said they had taken part in a performance/development review in the last 12 months (73%) was higher than previous surveys. Of these, a large majority had agreed a PDP (Personal Development Plan) or equivalent (83% of those who had a review) and had received/expected to receive the training identified in this plan (75% of those who had a PDP). Two out of three respondents felt that the review helped them to agree clear objectives for their work (66%). A lower proportion (39%) felt that it helped them to improve how they did their job.

6.3.4 Involved in decisions

Respondents were most positive about the opportunities they had to put forward ideas or suggestions for improvement in their workplace (49%). However, they were less positive with regard to their confidence in these ideas or suggestions being listened to (37%), that they would always be consulted about changes at work (26%) and that they had a choice in deciding what they did at work (38%). Of the five elements of the Staff Governance Standard, this was the one that staff responded to in the least positive manner. All four statements in this section had a percentage positive response below 50%. Three of these statements were amongst the five lowest scoring statements in the whole survey.

6.3.5 Treated fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect, in an environment where diversity is valued

The majority of respondents answered positively in relation to the support and encouragement they received from colleagues (76%) and from their line manager, although less so in respect of the latter (59%). Less than half of all survey respondents (44%) agreed that their Board 'acts fairly and offers equality of opportunity with regard to career progression/promotion'. For the minority of staff who said that they had experienced unfair discrimination in the last 12 months (8% reported discrimination from their manager and 8% from other colleagues), just one in three had gone on to report it (34%) and just over one in four of these were satisfied with the response received (27%).

6.3.6 Provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community

Just over half of all respondents (52%) agreed that they felt it was safe to speak up and challenge the way things were done if they had concerns about quality, negligence or wrongdoing by staff. A minority of respondents felt they could meet all the conflicting demands on their time at work (42%) or that there were enough staff to allow them to do their job properly (31%). More than eight in ten respondents had undertaken health and safety training paid for or provided by their NHS Board.

A small but notable percentage of respondents reported that they had experienced bullying/harassment in the past 12 months from their manager (11%) and/or from other colleagues (15%). Thirty-six per cent of those who had experienced bullying/harassment had reported this. Of those who did report it, 37% were satisfied with the response they received.

A small but notable percentage of respondents reported that they had experienced physical violence from patients/service users or other members of the public in the past 12 months (9%). Approximately one in three respondents stated that they had experienced emotional/verbal abuse from patients/service users or other members of the public in the past 12 months (32%). Half of the respondents who said they experienced abuse or violence had reported it and two thirds of these were satisfied with the response they received.

6.4 Main changes - 2010 to 2013

Comparing the findings from the 2010 and 2013 surveys (based on the attitudinal questions common to both), two statements (of the 20 in total) showed an improvement in percentage positive response in 2013. Both belonged to the Staff Governance dimension 'Provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community'. These were: 'I believe it is safe to speak up and challenge the way things are done if I have concerns about quality, negligence or wrongdoing by staff' (Q7c) and 'There are enough staff for me to do my job properly' (Q7b), see Figure 4. These two statements showed an increase of two and three percentage points respectively.

With all but two of the 20 attitudinal statements common to both the 2010 and 2013 Staff Surveys showing a drop in percentage positive response in 2013, this suggests an overall dip in employee satisfaction from 2010 to 2013.

The statement which showed the greatest drop in percentage positive response between the two years (down 15 percentage points) was 'My Board acts fairly and offers equality of opportunity with regard to career progression/promotion' (Q6c). A minority of respondents now agreed this to be the case (44%), compared to 59% in 2010. This suggests that staff are less satisfied that their Board provides equal opportunities for career progression/promotion.

Two of the six statements with the largest decrease in percentage positive response in 2013 belonged to the 'Well informed' Staff Governance element. These were: Q3a 'I am kept well informed about what is happening in my Board' (down ten percentage points since 2010) and Q3e 'I understand how my work fits into the overall aims of my Board' (also down ten percentage points). The statement 'I am satisfied with the sense of achievement I get from work' (Q8f) had a drop of 11 percentage points in positive response in 2013. Please note that there was a slight change in the wording of this question in 2013 (see Appendix F for more details).

In summary, where comparisons could be made with the 2010 survey, for all but two questions, respondents answered less positively in 2013. Compared to the previous survey, a higher percentage of respondents felt it safe to speak up and challenge the way things were done and a higher percentage agreed that there were enough staff to allow them to do their job properly. The largest decrease in percentage positive response related to fairness and equality of opportunity for career progression/promotion within their NHS Board. Other areas that showed a large drop in percentage positive response were in relation to: job satisfaction (the sense of achievement respondents got from work, how personally pleased they felt with the standard to which they were able to do their job and the percentage who would recommend their Board as a good place to work) and respondent's views of the wider context in which they worked (being kept well informed about what was happening in their Board, understanding how their work fits into the overall aims of their Board and feeling that care of patients/service users was their Board's top priority).

Figure 4: Percentage of positive responses to each attitudinal question in the NHSScotland Staff Survey 2013 (ordered from most to least positive result).^1,2

1 Figure includes all attitudinal survey questions with a five-point response scale and shows the total percentage of positive responses to each question within NHSScotland.

2 For Question 7a, direct comparison with the 2010 result was not possible due to a change in question wording.