More healthcare staff feel empowered

Health and social care staff across Scotland feel able to speak up and share concerns with their employers, according to new staff surveys out today. 

The results show 65 per cent believe it is safe to speak up and raise concerns, an increase of almost 10 percentage points since the last staff survey.

Almost three quarters would recommend their organisation as a good place to work and 82 per cent reported they are treated with dignity and respect.

A record number of staff participated in the surveys, which for the first time included the views of both health and social care staff. 

Health Secretary Shona Robison said:

“It is encouraging to see more staff are engaged and feel empowered to speak up after we have implemented a number of measures including the whistleblowing alert and advice services and our commitment to introduce an Independent National Whistleblowing Officer by the end of 2018. All of this is contributing to an increasingly honest and open reporting culture within the NHS.

“In the 70th year of the NHS I’m pleased that the vast majority would recommend it as a good place to work, and 75% are confident their ideas and suggestions are listened to.

“We gathered more views in one year than any of the previous staff surveys, almost three times as many compared to 2015. Continuing to incorporate feedback from our health and social care colleagues is key.”