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The contribution and commitment of NHSScotland staff, supported by investment in their future and wellbeing, is essential to the delivery of better healthcare for Scotland Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said today.

Five ambitions for Scotland's health service to help it address the key workforce challenges for 21st century, have been published by the Scottish Government and NHSScotland. These are designed to ensure:

• all staff are ambassadors for health improvement, safety and quality
• NHSScotland further develops and delivers multi-disciplinary and multi-agency models of care
• NHSScotland is an 'employer of choice'
• all work together to promote the benefits of preventative action and measures of self care for patients and the public
• NHSScotland works together with universities, further education and the wider education sector to encourage and maximise flexible access to education and training.

The ambitions form the focus of A Force for Improvement: The Workforce Response to Better Health, Better Care. This highlights both the role the workforce can play in delivering better care and work to improve the investment in staff training, development and wellbeing.

The strategy was unveiled on the day the results of the latest NHSScotland staff survey results were published.

Over 58,000 NHS staff responded to the voluntary questionnaire, sent to all staff across Scotland in October and November 2008.

Results show the majority of respondees were:

• were happy to go the 'extra mile' at work when required
• satisfied with the support they receive from work colleagues
• felt their job makes good use of their skills and abilities
• were clear about what they were expected to achieve and have the information to they need to do their job well
• intend to still be working within their NHS Board in 12 months time.

This is a biennial survey and compared to the last survey in 2006, the findings show improvement in a number of areas:

• 18 per cent more respondees feel they have equality of opportunity in the work place
• 16 per cent more respondees feel satisfied with the opportunities they have to put forward new ideas or suggestions for improvement
• 16 per cent more respondees are confident their ideas or suggestions would be listened to
• 12 per cent more respondees feel that NHS Scotland is a good place to work
• 10 per cent fewer respondees stated they have experienced a violent incident in the last 12 months.

The survey is one way in which NHSScotland monitors progress and listens to the views of staff in order to improve and enhance the support available to them. To bolster these efforts to increase the health, wellbeing and welfare of staff, NHS Boards will be able to bid for funding from a new £1.5 million Working Well Challenge Fund. £0.5 million of this will specifically invest in initiatives aimed at addressing violence against staff.

Speaking at a seminar for NHSScotland managers and staff representatives held in Clydebank today, Ms Sturgeon said:

"NHSScotland staff are the backbone of the health service. Their dedication, skill and commitment are vital if we are to continue to deliver the kind of modern, effective care and treatment we all rightly expect.

"The workforce response to Scotland's health strategy - Better Health, Better Care - shows how those working at every level in the health service will play their part in delivering this strategy and how we will be investing in their future and their invaluable input.

"I know NHS Boards will be listening to the views of their staff which are reported through the survey published today and working to address those areas where they can improve. I am heartened to see that my impression of staff in the health service and experience of what they say to me is reflected with so many recording their willingness to go the extra mile and continue to work for the service."

Dr Kevin Woods, Chief Executive of NHSScotland said:

"NHSScotland is committed to ensuring it delivers the best healthcare possible and remains a positive place for staff to work.

"To do this we need to continue to improve the support, opportunities and management of the health workforce. The five ambitions are a clear statement of how NHSScotland will focus its efforts to support the development of its workforce and improve care."

Commenting on the new Working Well Challenge Fund, Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health said:

"It is very welcome to hear directly from staff in the health service that their personal experience of aggressive behaviour towards them has been reduced.

"We have consistently sent out strong messages that it is completely unacceptable that any member of the health service should be abused in the workplace. We extended the legal protection of staff by ensuring the Emergency Worker's Act now covers all doctors, nurses and midwives whenever they are on duty.

"The new Challenge Fund will provide even more opportunity to develop new ideas and initiatives to target support where this is needed."

A Force for Improvement: The Workforce Response to Better Health, Better Care has been developed over the last year to and aims to tackle the workforce challenges arising from Better Health, Better Care.

The five core workforce challenges which run through Better Health Better Care are:

• tackling health inequalities
• shifting the balance of care
• ensuring a quality workforce
• ensuring best value
• mainstreaming of workforce

The Five ambitions in full are:

• All staff will be ambassadors for health improvement, safety and quality, using every interaction with individuals, communities and populations, and every patient care episode to maximise their public health and education role
• NHSScotland will develop and implement multi-disciplinary and multi-agency models of care which are more responsive, more accessible and more joined up to meet the needs of local communities and ensure efficient utilisation of skills and resources
• NHSScotland will be an "employer of choice" which acquires the best talent, motivates employees to improve their performance, keeps them satisfied and loyal, and provides opportunities for them to develop and contribute more
• All staff in NHSScotland will work together to promote the benefits of preventative action and measures of self care for patients and the public across a range of health issues, supporting them in ensuring that they have the knowledge and understanding to undertake this and where appropriate to seek expert advice and treatment
• We will work together with Universities, Further Education and the wider education sector to encourage and maximise flexible access to education and training, for people already working in NHSScotland and those with aspirations to join, that is reflective of the changing demography and increasing diversity of Scotland.

The detailed criteria for the new Working Well Challenge Fund will be developed with partners over the coming weeks and the Fund will then be officially launched for NHS Boards to submit their bids for funding. This new fund refocuses fund previously made available to Boards, including the Remote and Rural Funding Scheme and the Advanced Appointments Scheme.

The NHSScotland Staff Survey 2008 was undertaken by ORC International. This is a biennial survey with last one being undertaken in 2006. The response rate of 37 per cent was the highest response rate to date and the Scottish Government and partners will continue to work to develop ways of increasing response rates further.

Related Information

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/20121026/0

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/nhsstaffsurvey

http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/