Public League Tables to Rank NHS Trusts on Staff Safety
The UK government will begin ranking NHS trusts in England on their success in tackling racism, violence, and sexual misconduct among staff. Starting in July, all acute, ambulance, and mental health trusts will receive a score of one to four across six key wellbeing metrics, establishing formal accountability for workforce safety.
Six Metrics to Define Institutional Performance
Beginning this summer, the performance of NHS secondary care bodies will be assessed using data primarily sourced from the annual NHS staff survey. The scoring system evaluates trusts on six specific domains: tackling racism, preventing violence, improving sexual safety, promoting flexible working, line management, and health and wellbeing support.
These scores will be integrated into the overall performance ratings for trusts, placing staff wellbeing metrics on par with established targets for A&E metrics and waiting list metrics. The move is a 10-year health plan commitment.
Confronting Abuse Within the Health Service
The new metrics follow reports of significant abuse within the health service. Data from the most recent NHS staff survey indicates that hundreds of thousands of NHS staff have been attacked, harassed, bullied or subject to racism. Furthermore, nearly one in 10 NHS workers, one-third of ambulance staff, and more than 10% of nurses and midwives reported experiencing unwanted sexual behavior in the workplace over the previous year.
Karin Smyth, the minister for secondary care, stated that the current levels of harassment and violence are “completely unacceptable” and noted that there has been a historic lack of formal accountability for employers to address these issues.
Calls for Enforcement and Independent Reporting
Suzie Bailey, director of leadership and organisational development at the King’s Fund, emphasized that the ultimate measure of success will be whether these standards translate into tangible improvements in the daily lives of staff.
Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, warned that policies on paper are insufficient without enforcement. “To deliver real change for staff, robust enforcement mechanisms need to be in place for those who fail to deliver against the new standards,” Ranger said. She further noted that continued exposure to abuse could drive nursing staff to leave the profession.
Tim Mitchell, the outgoing president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, highlighted the need for a confidential reporting system. He stated that staff require a “national, independent and anonymous way” to report incidents, ensuring they can raise concerns without the fear of retaliation.
Limited Initial Rollout for Primary Care
Currently, the new standards apply exclusively to secondary care NHS bodies, including hospitals and ambulance services. Primary care providers, such as GP practices, are not included in the initial rollout. However, government ministers have indicated an intention to expand these performance measures to include primary care in future years.
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