Walsall NHS Trust in bottom 20% in UK for staff stress, bullying and violence

The results have emerged following a national NHS staff survey, organised by NHS England, which was carried out between October and December last year.

Scores for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust deteriorated from 2013, with the trust ranking within the worst 20 per cent nationally in 12 out of 29 categories.

In 2013, it ranked in the bottom fifth in six categories.

The percentage of staff saying that they had suffered work-related stress in the previous 12 months rose from 36 to 42 per cent in a year and the percentage reporting bullying, harassment and abuse from patients rose from 30 to 33 per cent.

The willingness to recommend the Trust as a place to work fell from 58 to 47 per cent, whilst willingness to recommend the trust as a place for treatment fell from 56 to 48 per cent.

Chief executive Richard Kirby said it reflected the level of pressure on the trust over the last 12 months but added that measures were being taken to offer support and make improvements.

In a report to the trust board, which meets on Thursday (26), Mr Kirby said: "The results reflect the level of pressure on our colleagues over the last 12 months with a number of results in the bottom 20 per cent of trusts nationally including, disappointingly the measure of staff recommending the trust as a place to work or receive treatment.

"Issues of stress-related absence and colleagues experiencing violence and aggression from patients and relatives are also highlighted by the survey.

"These results reinforce the need to deliver the programme of colleague engagement work that we are planning for April – June.

"Trust management board agreed a revised stress at work policy this month and we will work through colleague engagement and experience group to implement this.

"We are also undertaking more work to support colleagues who face violence or aggression including involving the police when appropriate to do so."

The survey questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 850 staff and nearly half were returned.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust ranked in the top 20 per cent in the country for the percentage of staff which had health and safety training and equality and diversity training in the last 12 months.

But it fell short in categories including violence experienced from patients and staff and those who felt pressure in the last three months to attend work when feeling unwell.