Stress rife in NHS, bosses say
Stress rife in NHS, bosses say
Most NHS employers think up to half of their staff may be suffering from workplace stress, a report has concluded. A survey for NHS Employers found that 62 per cent of health service organisations estimated that half their workforce might be under stress. But only a third of the 177 health chiefs quizzed said their trusts had carried out a stress risk assessment. Work stress is responsible for 30 per cent of staff sickness in the NHS and costs the service £300m to £400m each year. But despite the toll of stress, less than a third of health service managers questioned said their organisation had a stress policy, while a further 6 per cent said they had plans for such a policy. Launching and NHS workplace stress prevention campaign, Julian Topping, NHS Employers' head of workplace health and employment, said: 'Employers have a legal duty to manage stress among staff, and staff have a legal duty towards making sure they are safe and well.' Karen Jennings, UNISON head of health, commented: 'Combating rising stress levels in the NHS is essential for the health of employees and for good patient care and UNISON is right behind this campaign. The survey shows that many NHS Trusts still rely on counselling or stress management courses to tackle stress, whereas UNISON believes that prevention is the cure.' She added: 'Employers have to start addressing the real issues behind stress such as long-hours, staff shortages, bullying and excessive demands rather than looking at quick fix solutions such as 'stress management' courses.'
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