date: 2 November 2007

embargo: 00.01hrs Saturday 3 November 2007

Longer working hours and bigger workloads affecting NHS morale

Today (Saturday) as nurses, midwives, doctors, physiotherapists, hospital cleaners and technicians prepare to march and rally in London, the NHS Together campaign is publishing research showing that NHS staff are working longer hours, have more work to do and are feeling increasingly demotivated and demoralised. Fewer than half of NHS staff would recommend their job or career to others.

A survey of just under 25,000 employees working throughout the NHS found that over half the staff questioned (57 per cent) were working more than their contracted hours and over four-fifths (84 per cent) said that their workload had increased in the last year. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of staff working more than their contracted hours were not getting paid for this extra work.

Citing the reasons for their extra workload, over three-quarters (77 per cent) blamed additional duties and responsibilities, nearly half (47 per cent) said it was down to insufficient sickness, maternity or holiday cover, and another 45 per cent identified vacancy freezes and redundancies as the cause.

Today (Saturday) NHS Together - a campaign involving unions and organisations with members in the health service - is co-ordinating a march and rally to celebrate the successes of the NHS, which is 60 next year.

The thousands of health service employees converging on London will also be using the march and rally to send a strong message to the Government that, while staff are committed to their jobs, morale is low and there is widespread concern about the increasing fragmentation of the NHS.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Staff working in the health service are proud of the jobs they do and are totally committed to improving patient care and the services in the hospitals in which they work. But recent recruitment freezes and redundancies are leaving health employees with bigger workloads and unpaid overtime is increasingly becoming the norm. No wonder that staff complain of the effect that changes in the last year have had on morale and motivation.

'The NHS is a fantastic institution, treating over a million people every 36 hours, and much of its success is down to the sheer dedication and commitment of everyone who works in it. That's why thousands will rally today to celebrate that success and to urge the Government to stick to the founding principles of the NHS, and not introduce more changes that could further fragment our health service.'

The survey - undertaken for the unions by Incomes Data Services - found that over half (54 per cent) the NHS staff questioned reported that their increased workload had lead to them experiencing increased levels of stress which was having a negative impact on their relationships with family and friends. Four in ten of the staff (42 per cent) who had more work to do said the extra stress was also damaging their health.

Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of the NHS staff told researchers that their motivation and morale had worsened in the past twelve months, and almost the same number (60 per cent) had considered leaving their job in the last year. The most common reason for staff continuing to work in the NHS (59 per cent) was the belief that they were doing something worthwhile.

Violence and harassment at work were sadly also commonplace, with four in ten (41 per cent) saying they had been the victims of violence or abuse in the past year. Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) said they had been bullied or harassed by patients or their families. Ambulance staff were the most likely (79 per cent) to have experienced violence or abuse.

Unison General Secretary and TUC President Dave Prentis said: 'It's down to the hard work and commitment of NHS workers that we all enjoy a world class health service. However, this survey shows that this dedication takes its toll on staff and their families and many are now saying 'enough is enough'.

'The survey sends out a strong message to Government not to take NHS workers for granted. The thousands of Unison members in London for the rally today are also sending a clear signal - there is no place for markets and competition in our health service.'

Derek Simpson, Unite Joint General Secretary, said: 'Huge amounts of public money are being spent on private sector involvement in our public services without any real accountability.

"As well as attacking the public ethos of the NHS this creeping privatisation is sucking the blood out of public health care in Britain and depriving the NHS of vital funds.

"We want real evaluation of these contracts to establish whether or not they are providing value for money, delivering efficient services and offering the best in patient care. Until these things are proven no further private sector contracts should be awarded in the NHS and the plan to open up the commissioning of services to the private sector should certainly be halted."

Lesley Mercer, Director of Employment Relations and Union Services at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said: "We know that the financial problems in the NHS have taken their toll on the morale of our members. Physiotherapists are proud to play a crucial role in serving and caring for NHS patients. We will be celebrating this contribution at the rally later today."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- In May 2007, IDS were commissioned to carry out quantitative and qualitative research on behalf of the 14 NHS health unions and to research the views of NHS staff on a range of topics including workload, bullying, employee-friendly policies and staff involvement. A total of 24,619 NHS staff were questioned for the survey.

- Today (Saturday), health service staff from hospitals all over the UK are heading to London to take part in the 'I love the NHS' march and rally. NHS employees and their families will gather at Temple Place on the Victoria Embankment from 11am, moving off at 12.30pm to head for the rally in Trafalgar Square.

- At noon, there will be a photo op with a footballing theme in Trafalgar Square, ahead of the top of the Premiership clash between Arsenal and Manchester United. Fans of the two teams attending the rally will wave club and 'I love the NHS' scarves to show their support for the NHS Together event.

- The rally kicks off at 1.30pm and features a mix of speeches from the NHS Together unions and NHS employees, interspersed with filmed clips of celebrities and other key figures giving support to the staff in the Square.

- The Alabama 3 will perform a new NHS version of 'Woke Up This Morning', the song that became the theme tune to the Sopranos. Comedians John Ryan and Windsor will compere the whole event and there will be comedy from Debra Jane Appleby and Marlon Davis.

- The IDS survey is available on request.

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (1,200 words) issued 3 Nov 2007