Annual staff survey results show our people feel valued

Colleagues at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) feel respected, valued and part of a team, according to the latest results from the national NHS Staff Survey.

KCHFT received their highest ever response to the annual survey, with 65 per cent of the workforce, that’s more than 3,200 people, taking part.

The survey gives NHS colleagues the opportunity to feedback on their experiences and helps everyone shape the future direction of the organisation.

Results were collected during a particularly challenging year in which KCHFT also delivered more than half a million vaccines as part of the national response to Covid-19. The questions were grouped into nine themes and in the majority of these, KCHFT scored significantly higher than similar community trusts.

There was an improvement in colleagues feeling secure in raising concerns about unsafe clinical practice and in most cases, the answers gave a positive view of staff experience, including feeling valued by their team, having managers who care about their health and wellbeing and being respected.

However, it was also clear from the results that pressure remains high on NHS services and this is reflected in the results with colleagues expressing they are feeling burnt out and exhausted, in line with the national picture.

KCHFT colleagues also said:

• the people they work with are polite and treat each other with respect
• leaders listen, make colleagues feel valued and have a positive interest in their health and wellbeing
• they can talk openly about flexible working and have the opportunity to work flexibly if needed.

Seven out of ten people said they would recommend the organisation as a place to work – six per cent higher than other community trusts.

In five out of the seven ‘people promises’ contained in the survey, KCHFT scored significantly higher when compared to similar organisations. The five areas are:

• we are compassionate and inclusive
• we are recognised and rewarded
• we are always learning
• we work flexibly
• we are a team.

Acting Chief Executive Gordon Flack said: “This year we received our highest response rate ever with 3,217 colleagues taking the time to share their views. After two of our most challenging years it demonstrates how important it is to our colleagues that they have the opportunity to be heard.

“What I also want to recognise is the number of hours that colleagues have put in during the past year, over and above their contracted hours. This is unsustainable so we are making recruitment and retention an absolute priority as well as looking at how we can streamline processes to make everyone’s working life easier. It’s been two years in which the NHS has seen some of the greatest pressure. I want to say how proud we all are of #TeamKCHFT for their outstanding efforts and that their goodwill and commitment to patients is recognised and appreciated

“Each and every one of you make us #KCHFTProud.”

You can read our full, benchmarked results at: www.nhsstaffsurveyresults.com.