Only a third of NHSE staff think it has a ‘clear vision’

A survey showing only a third of NHS England staff believe it has a “clear vision” for the future has been described as ”not as challenging as could be expected” by the organisation. 

It is NHSE’s first full staff survey since its major restructuring and merger with Health Education England and NHS Digital, which has seen around 7,000 posts cut, and widespread irritation with how how the changes were handled.

The summary report from the 2024 staff survey (attached below), obtained by HSJ, highlights particular problems with morale, and failures to develop staff.  

Among NHSE’s worst scores were whether staff felt it had a “clear vision for the future” (33 per cent agreed), while only 26% “feel like I am part of my organisation’s vision for the future”, and just 36% agreed the organisation would address staff concerns if they spoke up.

However, an NHSE executive team presentation report on the results said: “This year’s results should be considered against the backdrop of ongoing organisational change, which can significantly impact staff engagement levels and decreased morale. 

“Independent feedback from our survey providers indicates that the results are not as challenging as could be expected, given the scale and complexity of NHSE’s change programme.”

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Source: HSJ, 16 October 2024