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Hospital praised in staff survey
Staff have heaped praise on the Trust in its latest survey, with more than 95% saying they would recommend it as a place to receive care or treatment – beating the national average (81%).
More than 870 people in the team responded to the questionnaire, which asked colleagues to think about their experience of the hospital from April to June this year (quarter one).
Results from the latest Staff Friends and Family Test (FFT), published by NHS England last week (24 August), gave the Trust the 14th best score in England for the question, ‘How likely are you to recommend this organisation to friends and family if they needed care or treatment?’
The scores also revealed that 83% of respondents were ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ to recommend the hospital as a place to work – the seventh best score for the 233 trusts surveyed, and higher than the national average (64%). It also marks a 4% improvement on the hospital’s score in the previous quarter (quarter four, 2016/17).
Staff reported that the Trust was a “high standard hospital”, saying that “staff go the extra mile to care for their patients”, and that West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) is “a caring, professional organisation with patient care its top priority”. One colleague simply put: “I am proud to work here.”
As well as sharing their views on working at the hospital, some staff also commented on the care they’d received as patients, with one saying: “I recently spent three nights in [the] hospital receiving care, which was excellent.”
Another added: “My parents have both been treated here and have always been very pleased with the care they have received.”
Areas for improvement include the number of staff feeling pressured due to high workload, and colleagues wanting more communication from managers.
The WSFT, which received an Outstanding rating for care from its latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, surveys staff four times a year to give them the opportunity to feedback their views on the organisation.
Chief executive Steve Dunn said: “It’s so important that we give all our staff regular opportunities to speak up, and crucially, that their views are listened to and acted upon.
“Every day I see how hard everyone in the WSFT team works to make this hospital a first-class place not only to work, but to receive care, and it’s fantastic to see that reflected in these survey results.
“These high standards are a testament to the care, professionalism, and dedication of our staff and volunteers across our hospital.”
The Staff Friends and Family Test is a national initiative introduced by NHS England to help improve patient experience. The full data will be collated and released on the NHS England website later this year.
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