Support for Northampton General Hospital staff is overwhelming - but before Covid-19 staff satisfaction was at a three-year low, according to new report

Northampton has shown nothing but praise and support for the NHS in the face of the coronavirus pandemic - but if staff satisfaction in 2019 is anything to go by, this momentum must carry on past the current crisis.

Before Covid-19 became a pressing crisis for the UK, NGH staff were asked to complete the annual national staff survey for 2019.

The questionnaire asks our healthcare staff how happy they were at work. They are asked to think about whether "time passes quickly when I am working", "I look forward to going to work" and "I am enthusiastic about my job".

And sadly, out of an average of over 1,950 staff who responded, nearly every area scored worse compared to last year.

Eight-of-out-nine of the reflective statements mentioned above scored a three-year low.

And not only that, but nearly every area also scored worst compared to the NHS as a whole.

In fairness, the year-on-year drop in score was often marginal, and often very close to the average scores for the entire NHS.

"The results of the 2019 NSH national staff survey contained some disappointing results," wrote CEO Dr Sonia Swart in a board paper published on March 26 alongside the staff survey results.

"We saw a drop in the number of staff who would recommend NGH as a place to receive care.

"Underpinning this were some specific questions which, for example, showed that staff felt less able to provide the care they aspire to, were less confident safety concerns would be addressed and less able to make improvements at work."

Results for staff's morale, quality of appraisals and health & wellbeing scored the least - but this was mirrored across the entire of the NHS.

And now, with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, support and praise for the NHS has been astounding.

Restaurants and services are offering discounts for healthcare staff across the country. Stories are rolling in of shops setting aside stock so medical workers can shop as well.

And, of course, the entire country stood together on the evening of March 26 for the "Clap for Our Carers" event in an effort to say thank you despite the nationwide lockdown.

The board papers show that NGH had taken steps to try and boost staff morale and satisfaction separately to all of this, with the appointment of diversity officers and a rethink of flexible working hours.

But the board also recognises what the pandemic has done to draw out public spirit and support for the NHS.

Dr Swart continues: "As part of our preparations for COVID-19 we have an opportunity to demonstrate how much we value our staff.

"It is critically important that we emphasise the importance of looking after each other in this most difficult of times.

"The response of staff so far has been extremely positive and there has been a real sense of collegiate spirit and people pulling together with a very high degree of engagement.

"Offers of help from the public and from local business have certainly been very well received and we are planning a range of benefits for our workforce as the situation develops."

We can only hope the staff at Northampton General Hospital know how much the town and their trust appreciates them - but we must also make sure this continues when the pandemic abates.

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