Stepping in the right direction

Encouraging signs for mental health staff in Gloucestershire according to a recent staff survey carried out by the Healthcare Commission

The NHS annual staff survey that is carried out by the Healthcare Commission indicated that 2gether NHS Foundation Trust has shown significant improvements in a number of key areas, these include:

*      improved access to health and safety training,

*      how to report incidents and accidents and

*     a reduction in the number of certain types of injury;

*     communications and

*    the number of staff receiving an appraisal.

Together, staff side and managers reviewed the results from last year and then took action to make a difference. The results provide encouragement that those actions have been effective and are taking the trust in the right direction. 

The survey also identified areas for improvement, which the Trust is working to redress. 2gether Chief Executive Shaun Clee commented, “providing a workplace that values colleagues, treats people with dignity and respect and provides not only the focus but the means and support to deliver better services is essential. The annual staff survey results play important part in helping us to identify what we can do to further improve the working experience and environment for colleagues.

We are pleased that we are taking steps in the right direction. However we are also clear that we have much more to do.  We are committed to building on the improvements we have made and by working together we can make life better for colleagues and the public we serve.”

Kay Harrison, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at the Trust said, “We are pleased that improvements are taking place and we will continue to work with staff, their representatives and managers to build on these over the coming months”.

Mervyn Dawe, Staff Side Chair, Unison said “By conducting surveys like this we can find out how staff feel and we take the findings very seriously. We will in partnership with the Trust work to improve the areas that the report highlights in the interests of staff and the implications it has for service users.