News / Health
Investigation: Is Bristol NHS failing staff?
NHS staff in Bristol are being forced off work under unbearable pressure, research by Bristol24/7 has revealed.
The number signed off work with stress-related illness from Bristol’s two main hospitals has risen by almost 75 per cent – from 606 in 2010 to 1,057 last year.
The leap is also mirrored in the Avon and Wilstshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP), which runs mental health services in Bristol, and South Western Ambulance Service (SWAS), which employs paramedics.
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Unison said working conditions have “become unbearable” for NHS trusts hit by a “perfect storm” of increased demand and decreased funding.
Tom Hore, from mental health charity Mind Bristol, said it was unsurprising that staff under “relentless pressure” were experiencing “significant stress”.
The absences are likely to be costing the NHS in Bristol millions of pounds every year in replacement staff, often employed through agencies.
Hospital trusts said they take stress-related illness seriously, adding that improving detection rates and awareness had contributed to the increase.
Data obtained by Bristol24/7 under Freedom of Information rules show University Hospitals Bristol (UHB), which runs the BRI, and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), which runs Southmead Hospital, have seen stress-related illness among staff almost double in five years.
UHB saw the numbers jump from 275 staff members signed off in 2010 to 545 in 2014, while NBT saw 333 in 2010 and 512 in 2014.
AWP saw a similar trend with 117 staff members signed off in 2010 and 273 in 2014 (seven per cent of all staff). South West Ambulance Service staff signed off in Bristol also jumped from 27 to 59 in the same period. The trust refused to tell Bristol24/7 how many staff they had in Bristol in total.
The figures follow a damning inspection of the new £400 million Southmead Hospital’s accident and emergency department which found staff “distressed” and “ashamed” by the working conditions.
“The terms ‘soul-destroying’ and ‘heart-breaking’ were repeatedly voiced to us,” an inspector said in February, before adding that team leaders were at “breaking point”.
A former member of staff working in mental health services in Bristol told Bristol24/7 new commissioning and targets had created a culture of “demand, blame and cost cutting,” which had damaged morale.
The source added that modern caseloads were “unmanageable and unsafe”, leaving some members of staff in tears and with sleepless nights.
“I understand the pressures the NHS is under to provide services within a budget but by not looking after staff they risk losing them to sickness which in the end is far more costly,” they concluded.
A former paramedic in Bristol of more than ten years told Bristol24/7 he was forced to quit due to unreasonable working demands and rising stress levels.
“There was less and less regard for staff and more and more pressure to meet targets and save money. What they don’t realise is that putting more pressure on staff has a knock-on effect on the service,” he said.
Unison, which represents NHS staff in Bristol said the figures were “symptomatic” of the building pressure on the entire NHS.
“There has been a perfect storm of rising demand for healthcare, spiraling costs and a squeeze on funding. This has put staff under considerable strain,” said Steve Gibbs, a health and safety representative at Unison.
“In the end something has to give, and sadly it looks as if working conditions have become unbearable for many.”
Hore, from Mind, added that a “cost cutting culture” was having a psychological impact on staff.
“Trusts have had to find year on year ‘efficiency savings’ which reduce resources available to staff and reduce staffing levels often leading to longer working hours,” he said.
“The wellbeing of the country depends upon the NHS. The well-being of patients depends upon the staff. But who can the staff depend upon for their well-being?”
UHB said it takes the health and wellbeing of its staff “extremely seriously”, adding that support from the occupational health services is available for any member of staff who is experiencing work-related stress. Managers are also trained to support staff who are experiencing stress.
It added: “The Trust has processes in place to cope with staff absence. If there is a staff shortage, we look to our own temporary staffing bureau to cover unfilled shifts. This service is made up of staff who are employed by the Trust. The Trust also offers other staff the opportunity to work additional shifts if convenient for them.”
NBT said the wellbeing of its staff is “very important”. It added that the trust offers staff free counselling, mindfulness and money advice to alleviate stress.
SWAS said: “Our staff do a fantastic job, often in difficult and challenging circumstances and SWAS recognises that sometimes the nature of the job can take its toll on staff wellbeing. Our staff are our most important asset and staff health and wellbeing is a top priority.”
It added that it has a health and wellbeing programme which includes counselling, specialist post-traumatic stress support and physiotherapy.
AWP said: “While the numbers of staff reporting absence due to stress has increased, this is partly in response to the trust encouraging staff to accurately report reasons for absence, so that underlying issues can be tackled
“The Trust takes the health and wellbeing of staff seriously. Staff receive improved supervision and are supported by physical and mental wellbeing programmes such as mindfulness and resilience training and on-going fitness.”