THE morale of staff working at Warrington and Halton Hospitals has been hit by the severe strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

This is the view of the hospital trust’s chief executive after the results of the annual NHS Staff Survey revealed falls in happiness and satisfaction rates.

Concern over workforce numbers, discontent with pay and work-related stress were also highlighted by health service workers nationally through the poll.

In Warrington and Halton, 64 per cent of staff who responded to the 2021 survey said that if a friend or relative needed treatment, they would be happy with the standard of care provided by their organisation.

This was down from 71 per cent the year before, according to the report, which included responses from 1,744 staff at the trust.

It reflected the picture across England as a whole, where 68 per cent of staff said they would feel happy with the standard of care provided for a loved one – down from 74 per cent in 2020.

Of the survey respondents in Warrington and Halton, just 29 per cent said there are enough staff at their organisation for them to do their job properly – a considerable drop from 42 per cent in 2020.

Some 45 per cent of staff had felt unwell as a result of work-related stress in the previous 12 months, while 31 per cent often or always felt burnt out because of their job.

Moreover, roughly 70 per cent said they feel enthusiastic about their job, compared to 74 per cent a year earlier.

The 2021 survey also reveals that just 39 per cent of NHS workers in Warrington and Halton are satisfied with their level of pay, amid growing anger among unions.

In response to the survey, the trust’s chief executive Simon Constable said that while the hospitals scored higher than average in seven of the nine themes of the survey, improvements can be made.

“Although our results are largely positive, we are very mindful that the last two years has had an enormous strain on our staff,” he said.

The survey was completed by staff at Warrington and Halton hospitals

The survey was completed by staff at Warrington and Halton hospitals

“There are clearly areas that we need to further understand, and we will work with our staff to identify ways to improve their working lives and supporting them with learning and development.

“At the onset and throughout the pandemic we have invested significant resources – £165,000 direct from the trust, as well as support from NHS Charities Together – to support the emotional and physical wellbeing of staff.

“We delivered a number of amazing projects, including the creation of the Sanctuary Hub for mental health and wellbeing at Warrington and Halton, the creation of the Habab Clinical Training Suite, further counselling and mental health provision, upgrades to staff relaxation areas and equipment and provision of emergency fresh food, fruit and vegetables to staff unable to leave the wards.

“Despite this investment in health and wellbeing, the nature of the pandemic has provided staffing challenges, including large numbers of staff off with sickness, resulting in colleagues facing huge pressure due to increased workloads and reduced staff numbers.

“These challenges have been reflected in the survey results.”

Prof. Constable added that the trust has implemented recruitment plans, with an additional 90 international nurses joining over the past year.

In addition, the trust has supported a range of apprenticeship schemes to develop staff and plan for future workforce needs, including targeted local recruitment campaigns.

Patricia Marquis, Royal College of Nursing director for England, said the national figures – which show more than half of NHS staff feel burnt out at the end of their working day and four in five feel there aren't enough staff in their organisation – will ‘do nothing to reassure the public’.

She added: “Nursing staff have sent a clear message that they are exhausted, and that staff shortages are undermining their efforts to give safe and effective care.

“This is a stark reminder of the impact of tens of thousands of nursing vacancies."

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents trusts, said the overall picture is unsurprising due to the ‘unprecedented pressure’ placed on NHS staff throughout the pandemic.

“The fall in staff morale is a real cause for concern," he said.