Date Published: 7 October 2009

CQC encourages NHS staff to provide feedback

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is encouraging NHS employees to provide feedback on their experiences at work by participating in the seventh annual NHS Staff Survey.

More than 300,000 staff in 392 trusts will be asked to participate and the Commission encourages staff in all sectors and roles in the NHS, to take the opportunity to give their views. CQC, NHS Trusts and the Department of Health will use the information gathered to inform local and national changes in working conditions to not only help staff feel valued, but ultimately improve the quality of care for patients.

The Department of Health published the NHS Next Stage Review in 2008 and the NHS Constitution in January this year, and both bring a renewed focus to the NHS as an employer. The Constitution sets out for the first time what the NHS expects from its staff and what staff can expect from the NHS. It is part of the commitment of the NHS to being a good employer and helping staff feel valued.

The 2009 questionnaire is largely similar to that used in previous years and will allow Trusts to track progress over time, with additional questions on staff engagement and health and well being.

Nancy Wolstenholme, Head of Digital Communications and Surveys at the Care Quality Commission, said:

" The annual staff survey is a vital tool in our efforts to improve the NHS for both patients and staff. Staff experiences and their working environment naturally affect organisational outcomes – and in the NHS this includes the quality of care patients receive. Results from the survey are used by trusts to deliver improvements in working conditions and practices. I hope that NHS staff will take this opportunity to help to shape their future. ”

CQC will report on the findings of the survey, including national trends, early next year. The Commission will also use the survey data in its registration and assessment activities for NHS trusts.

About the CareQuality Commission: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England. The CareQuality Commission inspects health and adult social care services in England, whether they're provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. It also protects the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act. (Until 31 March 2009, this work was carried out by the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection.)

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