Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, a provider of mental health and disability services (CNTW) has today welcomed the results from the annual NHS Staff Survey.
The survey results illustrate that CNTW staff feel that their work is important, with 85.9% of staff saying they felt that their role makes a difference to service users and patients.
The Trust’s commitment to its service users was reflected in the survey results. High numbers of staff who responded said that they feel that the care of patients and services users is a top priority for the organisation and also that the organisation acts on concerns raised by patients and service users.
The survey highlighted respect, kindness and positive working relationships amongst staff. When asked if they enjoyed worked with the colleagues in their team, 87% of staff who responded said yes.
The survey, undertaken by all NHS Trusts in England, is an important measure of what life is like for NHS staff. It focuses on seven elements aligned to the NHS People Promise, which aims for people to work together to improve the experience of working in the NHS for everyone.
The key elements are:
- We are compassionate and inclusive
- We are recognised and rewarded
- We each have a voice that counts
- We are safe and healthy
- We are always learning
- We work flexibly
- We are a team
CNTW scored above average across all seven themes when compared to other mental health and learning disability Trusts who took part.
The survey also collects information on staff engagement and morale, with CNTW scoring above average in both of these areas too.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our staff for their hard work and commitment. We are proud that the trust’s dedication to providing the best possible service for patients is reflected in the Staff Survey results. I’m also delighted that the kindness, respect and understanding our staff show towards one another has been highlighted.
Executive Director of Workforce & Organisation Development, CNTW
Lynne Shaw, Executive Director of Workforce & Organisation Development at CNTW, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our staff for their hard work and commitment. We are proud that the Trust’s dedication to providing the best possible service for patients is reflected in the Staff Survey results.
“I’m also delighted that the kindness, respect and understanding our staff show towards one another has been highlighted.
“We welcome the opportunity to make improvements in areas where the survey results have suggested that we could be doing better. We will be carefully reviewing the results to develop an action plan that addresses these areas and ensures CNTW continues to be a great place to work.”
The majority of staff said the people they work with are understanding and kind to one another and also that people are polite and treat each other with respect. High numbers of staff also said their manager cares about their concerns and takes effective action to help with any issues they may need support with.
The Trust also performed well on questions linked to equality and diversity. Many staff who responded said they think that CNTW acts fairly with regard to career progression and promotion, regardless of ethnic background, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age. The Trust has recently received a Silver Employer Award in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index, awarded to leading LGBTQ+ inclusive employers.
In 2022, the Trust won two Black History Month awards from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Yorkshire and the Humber, which celebrate those who have had a positive impact on equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Fewer than 6% of staff who responded said they have personally experienced discrimination at work. Although the response to this question is better than the average score achieved by other mental health and learning disability Trusts who took part, CNTW remains committed to continuously improving the experiences of the workforce and the Staff Networks work closely with senior and line management to progress this important aspect of working life.
Only 30.6% of staff surveyed feel that there is enough staff in the organisation for them to perform their job properly. The average response to this question for other mental health and learning disability Trusts who took part was also around 30%.
The Trust is investing in tools and initiatives to support the recruitment of new staff. A new Application Support Hub has been launched to support people in applying for a role at CNTW, by offering detailed advice at every step of the application process, from guidance on completing the application form to tips on interview technique.