STAFF at almost half Merseyside’s health trusts experience higher than average rates of harassment and abuse from patients and their families, according to statistics released today.
Results from the Healthcare Commission’s staff survey 2007 show four of the region’s Trusts fall within the highest 20% in England for abuse in their trust type, including North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and Alder Hey Hospital.
The survey questions NHS staff on various aspects of their work, from stress and harassment to hand washing and flexible working.
Liverpool Women’s Hospital came within the worst 20% of English acute trusts for respondents who said they had experienced physical violence by a member of staff. However it fell into the best 20% for harassment by staff, where numbers were relatively low.
Almost 30% of staff surveyed at Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals said they had experienced har- assment, bullying or abuse from patients or their families, putting it in the highest 20% for acute trusts with Alder Hey and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals.
NWAS came within the worst 20% for ambulance Trusts in this category.
Positive responses for availability of hand washing materials also fell into the bottom 20% of acute Trusts at the Royal and Broadgreen. The Trust faired better in many other areas, including staff who had witnessed potentially harmful errors and those working extra hours, where the body fell into the best 20%.
Jackie Green, director of human resources for the trust, said: “In many respects we are delighted with the results of the survey. It shows we are working well in tackling some of the real issues that affect many of our staff. In particular, we are pleased with helping our staff balance home and work life effectively.
“However, it is unacceptable that our frontline clinical staff are still subjected to unnecessary levels of violence and abuse.
“This is a key issue that we must continue to focus attention on. This will comprise of helping staff manage and avoid conflict as well as supporting them through the criminal processes if and where it does happen..”
Knowsley PCT gained the most positive results in the area.
Only 28% of staff said they had suffered work related stress over the past year, putting it in the best 20% of PCTs in England. The body was in the best 20% of PCTs in 21 of 27 categories.
Jane Raven, director of human resources said: “Knowsley Health and Social Care aims to be a good employer, demonstrating our commitment to staff development, involving and engaging the workforce and striving to make Knowsley a place where people want to live and work.
“It is very encouraging to see many staff feel so positive about working here. There is always work to do to make things better and we will be working hard over the coming months to ensure that areas for development are addressed.”
Rates of bullying or abuse by patients > > >
