NHS to Rate Trusts on Tackling Racism, Violence, and Sexual Misconduct
The government has announced that NHS trusts in England will be evaluated based on their effectiveness in addressing racism, violence, and sexual misconduct towards staff.
Starting in July, all NHS acute, ambulance, and mental health trusts across England will be assessed and ranked in published league tables on six key wellbeing measures. These assessments will impact over 1.5 million NHS staff.
All secondary care NHS organizations are included in this initiative. However, primary care providers, such as GP practices, are currently excluded, with plans to extend the scheme to them in future years.
Performance Standards and Measures
The new standards will evaluate hospitals and ambulance services on their success in combatting racism, preventing violence, enhancing sexual safety, encouraging flexible working arrangements, improving line management, and providing health and wellbeing support. Each trust will receive a score from one to four for each measure, which will contribute to their overall rating.
For the first time, workforce wellbeing progress, as measured through the NHS staff survey, will directly influence trusts’ overall performance ratings alongside traditional metrics such as waiting lists and A&E performance.
Government Statements on Staff Wellbeing
Karin Smyth, the minister for secondary care, emphasized the importance of staff treatment:
“NHS staff are the backbone of our health service, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
The levels of racism, violence and sexual harassment reported by staff are completely unacceptable, and for too long there has been no formal accountability for employers to address them.
These new standards – a 10-year health plan commitment – change that. For the first time, how trusts treat their employees will be measured and published, because we know that when staff are supported, patients get better care.”
Staff Survey Findings
According to the latest NHS staff survey, a significant proportion of staff have experienced negative treatment. Many have been attacked, harassed, bullied, or subjected to racism. Nearly one in ten NHS workers, one-third of ambulance staff, and over 10% of nurses and midwives reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour in the past year.
Additionally, research has identified sharp increases in violence and sexual misconduct incidents over the past three years.
Expert Opinions on New Measures
Experts have welcomed the introduction of these performance measures but expressed concerns about how quickly staff will perceive improvements.
Suzie Bailey, director of leadership and organisational development at the King’s Fund thinktank, remarked on the importance of these standards:
“The real test would be whether the standards changed daily working life. The NHS cannot deliver high-quality care if staff and managers do not feel safe, valued and supported.”
Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, highlighted the need for enforcement:
“Zero-tolerance policies on paper have done little to improve the day-to-day experience of nursing staff.
To deliver real change for staff, robust enforcement mechanisms need to be in place for those who fail to deliver against the new standards. If these levels of abuse don’t change, nurses will continue to walk away from our NHS and that would be a tragedy.”
Tim Mitchell, outgoing president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, called for improved reporting systems:
“Staff must be able to come forward without fear of retaliation, confident their concerns will be handled impartially and with compassion.”
