Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB): written evidence - 2024-2025 pay round

H. Employee Experience, Morale and Motivation

Wellbeing

211. Our health services have been, and continue to be, under substantial pressure. In order to provide long-term, sustainable support at both a national and local level, we need to ensure that they are aligned to existing and emerging needs. We are continuing to work with leaders across health services, as well as hearing directly from staff, to understand where the current pressures are, and what further actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff.

212. We continue to support staff mental health and wellbeing through a range of national wellbeing resources. These include the National Wellbeing Hub which provides a range of advice and support, a 24/7 compassionate listening service through the National Wellbeing Helpline, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service, and an online Coaching for Wellbeing service.

213. We are currently developing a national resource for peer support and reflective practices with the aim of creating a self-sustaining model of support for staff.

214. In December 2022, ‘EnergyPods’ were introduced at Victoria Hospital in Fife, providing staff with the opportunity to boost their energy and take time out with a personalised guided power nap in comfortable surroundings.

215. In early 2023 we provided funding to Health Boards for the purchase of small hot food appliances for all hospital Doctors in Training.

216. We are continuing to prioritise compassionate and collaborative leadership, wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion for health, social care and social work staff and work closely with those who can enable and support culture change.

217. We are developing the Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures Framework and Action Plan. This is about supporting good working cultures through national and local programmes of work in these areas.

Health and Social Care Staff Experience Report

218. The 2023 Health and Social Care Staff Experience Survey was conducted between 15 May and 17 July 2023 and had over 118,376 responses from health and social care staff across all 22 NHSScotland Boards and 29 participating Health and Social Care Partnership’s. The National Report was published on 28 November 2023.

219. At national level, key themes include an improved overall response rate of 59%, up 4 percentage points from 2022, and enhanced staff experience across the question-set, with an Employee Index Score of 77, up 1 point from 2022.

Medical and Dental Staff

220. Of those participating in the 2023 survey, responses were received from 6577 staff who identify themselves within the Medical and Dental Staffing Group. The results show an improved staff experience for this group in comparison to 2022, which is reflected by an increase in score for the majority of iMatter questions and an overall experience rating of 6.7 out of 10 (an increase of 0.1 from 2022).

267. The most improved areas can be seen across the following questions, with an increase of 2 points for each:

• I am given the time and resources to support my learning and growth [73]
• I have sufficient support to do my job well [76]
• I am confident my ideas and suggestions are listened to [75]
• I feel involved in decisions relating to my job [73]

221. Staff experience scores have either improved or remained static, when compared with the 2022 Health and Social Care Staff Experience Survey. The highest scores for Medical and Dental Staff were for the following questions:

• I am clear about my duties and responsibilities [88]
• My direct line manager is sufficiently approachable [87]
• I have confidence and trust in my direct line manager [85]
• I feel my direct line manager cares about my health & wellbeing [85]
• I am treated with dignity and respect as an individual [84]

Comparison with Broader Workforce

222. The Medical and Dental Staffing Group typically report lower levels of staff experience than the broader Health and Social Care Workforce. The areas of experience with the widest gap to the broader workforce relate to the organisation caring about their health and wellbeing, understanding how their role contributes to the goals of the organisation and having sufficient support to do their job well. Each of these questions are 4 points below that of the broader workforce.

Doctors and Dentists in Training

223. Doctors and Dentists in training do not fall within the scope of the wider health and social care staff experience programme due to the nature of their rotational placements. A short DDiT Pulse Survey is undertaken with this group, which uses 6 key questions from the wider health and social care survey. The results of the 2023 survey will be published early in 2024.

224. The following table details the 2023 results for Medical and Dental Staff and the broader NHS Scotland workforce.