How the survey results are used
The NHS staff survey provides information on the views and experiences of staff in the NHS. The Care Quality 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, to improve the quality of care for patients.
We use survey findings as part of our annual health check of the NHS. The Department of Health (DH) and other national NHS bodies use them to assess the effectiveness of national workforce policies and strategies on, for example, training, flexible working, and safety at work. The findings also inform future developments in these areas.
Annual health check 2007/08
Many of the questions and key scores in the NHS national staff survey 2007 relate to the Department of Health's core standards. We use this data in the annual health check for 2007/08, the results of which are published in October 2008.
Improving working lives
Most of the questions and key scores in the NHS national staff survey 2007 relate to the Improving Working Lives Standard (2000). This standard is no longer monitored by the DH, although its principles are core to good human resource management. You can find out more:
Department of Health website (opens in new window)
Some of the questions and key scores in the NHS national staff survey 2007 relate to the six management standards for work-related stress, launched by the Health and Safety Executive in November 2004. Staff survey results can be used by trusts as part of their risk assessment against these standards.
Next stage review
In 2008 new questions were added to the survey to reflect research commissioned by the DH into the emotional and behavioural drivers contributing to staff engagement and motivation. The new questions address four themes, which informed the next stage review and the staff pledges in the draft NHS constitution.
Including these questions will help trusts to understand how well they are achieving in the areas that staff say are important and which impact on their motivation to provide high quality patient care.
