Hospital staff 'in despair' over jobs
A sense of despair is reported to be rife across hospitals in the Westcountry, where a new survey has revealed staff feel overworked and undervalued.
According to the NHS staff survey, Derriford Hospital is among the bottom 20% in terms of how well its staff feel engaged with their job, their colleagues and their employer.
Meanwhile, North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple and the Royal Devon and Exeter (RD&E) Hospital were judged to be average in terms of staff engagement.
Only South Devon Healthcare Trust, which runs Torbay Hospital, delivered above-average results, although levels of staff motivation were still below the mean.
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Joanne Kaye, regional secretary of Unison, said staff were fed up. "There is a real sense of despair," she said.
"There is a constant message that 'you are too expensive, you are coasting and you are failing'. You give these messages to people and it's no surprise that morale falls."
Ann James, chief executive of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said they had to work to improve the culture and make it a "happier place to work".
She said: "We continue to look for every opportunity to meet and engage with staff to discuss, sensibly and respectfully, difficult issues and gain their ideas and insight.
"Every member of the board will be walking round to our different sites, wards and departments and listening to staff and acting, wherever possible, on what they say."
An RD&E spokesman said a "transformation" programme, which involves listening to staff and understanding their challenges, was under way.
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