West Suffolk Hospital is a good employer, say staff

September 28, 2001

Two out of three people working for the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust rate it as a good employer, says a survey released today (28th September).

The survey shows what Trust employees feel are the benefits of working for the NHS.  88% get satisfaction from their job, and 69% are proud of the quality of service that the Trust provides to the local community.

Over 2800 staff in the Trust were sent forms earlier this year asking for their views on a range of issues relating to their employment.   956 forms were returned completed, a response rate of 33%.

The Trust, which runs the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds and the Walnuttree and St Leonards Hospitals in Sudbury, was one of five NHS organisations in Suffolk which commissioned ERS Market Research to undertake the survey.  The aim was to find out what employees feel about their conditions of employment - which aspects of their working life are they pleased with and which areas need to be improved.

“We are now drawing up an action plan to deal with those areas which staff have told us need attention,” said Johanna Finn, Trust Chief Executive. “Practical suggestions from staff about ways to improve our services are an important part of this process.”

“The NHS is a unique organisation which exists to look after the healthcare needs of everyone in our community.  Few professions can offer the level of variety and job satisfaction that comes from caring for other people. However, the NHS needs more quality staff and we cannot rely on people’s good nature to attract to them.  Accordingly, at the West Suffolk Hospital we have been doing all we can to improve the working lives of our staff.”

Flexible working hours, personal training and development programmes, a Career Break scheme, a future on-site nursery and childcare vouchers are just some of the initiatives introduced by the Trust.  Developing work/life balance employment policies and flexible working patterns play an important role in successful recruitment and retention.

This survey shows that we have indeed had some success in certain areas, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.  Our task over the coming months is to make sure that we take the initiative and make those improvements happen.

The full results of the staff survey are available on the Trust’s website at wsufftrust.org.uk/IWL.