WIREDGOV

The Healthcare Commission is encouraging NHS employees to provide feedback on their experiences at work by participating in the annual NHS Staff Survey.

In the sixth annual survey, more than 250,000 NHS staff will be asked their views. The Healthcare Commission, the Department of Health and NHS Trusts use the information gathered in the survey to inform local and national changes in working conditions and ultimately, improve the quality of care for patients.

The survey this year incorporates new questions to reflect research commissioned by the Department of Health into the things that matter to NHS staff. Most questions remain the same to allow trusts to track progress over time.

However, new questions have been added to gain more information about things staff say matter most to them, such as whether they feel they are supported to do a good job and whether they have the opportunity to improve the way they work.

Nancy Wolstenholme, Head of Accessible Information at the Healthcare Commission, said: "The annual staff survey is a vital tool in our efforts to improve the NHS for both patients and staff. Staff attitudes, experiences and working environment naturally affect organisational outcomes – and in the NHS this includes the quality of care patients receive.

"Results from the survey are used by trusts to deliver local improvements in working conditions and practices. I hope that NHS staff will seize this opportunity to shape their own future."

The Commission encourages staff in all sectors and roles in the NHS to take the opportunity to give their views. It will report on the findings of the survey, including national trends, early next year. The Commission will also use the survey data to assess trusts in the annual health check, which gives ratings to every NHS trust in England.

For information on previous surveys, including trust by trust results visit:

http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/nationalfindings/surveys/healthcareprofessionals/surveysofnhsstaff.cfm

More information on NHS surveys is also available at:

http://nhsstaffsurveys.com/cms/

Information on the Healthcare Commission

The Healthcare Commission is the health watchdog in England. It keeps check on health services to ensure that they are meeting standards in a range of areas. The Commission also promotes improvements in the quality of healthcare and public health in England through independent, authoritative, patient-centred assessments of those who provide services.

Responsibility for inspection and investigation of NHS bodies and the independent sector in Wales rests with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW). The Healthcare Commission has certain statutory functions in Wales which include producing an annual report on the state of healthcare in England and Wales, national improvement reviews in England and Wales, and working with HIW to ensure that relevant cross-border issues are managed effectively.

The Healthcare Commission does not cover Scotland as it has its own body, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) undertakes regular reviews of the quality of services in Northern Ireland.

For more information, contact the Healthcare Commission press office on 020 7448 9210 or out of hours on 07941 156 827.