DoH admits it lacks evidence for Jeremy Hunt claim that seven-day NHS ‘transforms morale’
The Department of Health has admitted it does not hold information crucial to supporting a claim Jeremy Hunt made about a seven-day NHS improving morale.
Outlining plans in July towards implementing a seven-day NHS, Health Secretary Mr Hunt said morale had “transformed” in hospitals that had adopted seven day working practises.
Mr Hunt told Sky News: “Hospitals that have succeeded in [implementing seven-day working] - places like Northumbria, like Salford, like Sheffield - actually see the morale in those hospitals go up.”
“Because when you are doing a better job for patients that makes it a much better working atmosphere.”
In a speech later, Mr Hunt said staff morale had been “transformed” at hospitals that had instituted seven-day working.
But the DoH has now admitted the claim was based on anecdotal evidence from hospital staff who have spoken to Mr Hunt, including Medical Directors and Chief Executives.
It also cited evidence from case studies regarding specific staff groups in specific hospitals, only one of which noted improved job satisfaction, and none of which made any wider claim about morale.
The department's response follows a Freedom of Information submission by My First Vote, which requested information vital to support Mr Hunt's sweeping claim.
Information requested included: Which hospitals had adopted seven-day working for which practices and when were they adopted; which of those hospitals had registered an increase in morale; and exactly what information was used to measure a morale increase.
But vitally, the Department of Health said: “The Department does not collect information about which hospitals deliver which services seven days or when these began.”
It added: “The FOI Act does not require public authorities to generate information or to answer questions, provide explanations or give opinions, unless this is recorded information that they already hold.”
STAFF SURVEYS
Research by My First Vote into the NHS staff surveys - which the Department of Health originally claimed Mr Hunt’s “transformed” morale comment was based on - suggests the assertion is unsubstantiated.
Out of four trusts that can definitely be identified as hospitals on NHS England’s list of ‘early adopters’ of seven-day working, two have seen a decline between 2013 and 2014 either in staff job satisfaction or the likelihood of staff saying they would recommend their trust as a workplace.
At Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the number of staff who would recommend it as a place of work was well below the national average and 12% lower in 2014 than in 2013, while staff satisfaction was in the lowest 20% nationally for its type of trust.
Staff motivation at the hospital was also in the lowest 20% nationally, with staff feeling work pressure at a level above the national average and the percentage of staff feeling satisfied with the quality of their work and the patient care they could deliver also below average.
The number of staff feeling they had support from immediate managers was below average, as was the number of staff who agreed incident reporting was effective and fair.
Those the witnessing of potentially harmful errors, near misses or incidents was in the highest 20% nationally.
At the James Paget Foundation Trust, staff satisfaction had declined since 2013, as had the number of staff who felt patient care was the top priority of the trust.
Staff experiencing violence from other staff had increased by 3% since 2013, while staff who felt there was effective team working had decreased.
Those who would feel happy if a friend or relative had to receive treatment at the trust had also reduced by 2% since the year before.
OTHER HOSPITALS
Of seven hospitals which could reasonably be identified as coming under trusts on the ‘early adopters’ list, five had seen a reduction in staff satisfaction or whether staff would recommend the trust as a place to work.
At Medway NHS Foundation trust for example, 4% fewer staff would recommend it as a workplace in 2014 compared with 2013, and the overall figure was well below the national average for its type of trust.
For County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, which appears to include two hospitals, the same figure was 3% lower than in 2013 and 10% below the national average for its type of trust.
Overall staff engagement for the trust was also below average, as was work pressure felt by staff.
It was in the worst 20% nationally for staff experiencing violence, harassment and bullying from other staff, and in the same bracket for the fairness and effectiveness of its incident reporting procedures.
HUNT'S HOSPITALS
Of the hospitals Mr Hunt mentioned in his interview - none of which were on the NHS England 'early adopters' list - Salford Royal NHS Foundation trust had seen a 8% decline in the number of staff who would recommend it as a workplace.
Staff also said they had seen a decline in “effective” team working and support from immediate managers, and had seen an increase in work pressure
At Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, staff who felt they could contribute to workplace improvements was down from the year before and in the bottom 20% of all acute trusts, as was the percentage of those who felt their role made a difference to patients and the percentage who said they would feel comfortable raising concerns about unsafe practice.
Only Northumbria showed reasonable evidence that could support Mr Hunt’s claim.