STAFF at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust say it is a top place to work.
The local NHS trust has again delivered some of the best results in the country in the NHS Staff Survey, which was published on Thursday (March 9).
Despite operational challenges and at times extreme service pressures, staff at the trust remain engaged, feel listened to and supported to learn and work flexibly, the survey found.
And this builds on the aims set out in the trust’s strategy to be a very flexible employer by placing huge emphasis on staff health and wellbeing and offering opportunities to flex roles and hours to suit individual circumstances, said SWFT Chief Executive Glen Burley.
The national NHS Staff Survey, commissioned by the Department of Health, invites all staff to answer questions anonymously about the trust as an employer and healthcare provider. The national results from the survey undertaken in October 2022 demonstrate how difficult it has been for workforces across the NHS.
Last year the trust officially changed its name to South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust – representing the formal collaboration with the University of Warwick and re-enforcing the focus on research and teaching. In addition, the trust has launched a virtual monthly forum called ‘Open to Change’. This gives staff the space and time to discuss and showcase improvement ideas and initiatives and communicate learnings across the organisation.
The trust, which is rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, has some of the best results in the country. SWFT ranked above average within all the key themes, when compared to other general acute and community NHS health providers in England.
Mr Burley continued: “The NHS Staff Survey is significant in understanding how our workforce is feeling and in enabling us, as an organisation, to know what we are getting right and where and how we can improve. Therefore, I am a huge advocate of this survey and look forward to seeing the results every year.
“As our most precious asset, staff are at the heart of everything we do. I am delighted that once again staff have ranked our organisation as one of the top places to work in the NHS. With demand continuing to rise, health and social care services are facing significant challenges right now.
“We continually want to develop and enhance what we offer. Making the best use of our resources and identifying new ways of working, while focusing on the retention, happiness and wellbeing of staff will be key priorities of the trust over the next year.”
Lesley Petre, Tobacco Specialist at SWFT, added: “It is great to work for a trust which is committed to developing staff, who places a big emphasis on enabling flexible working and who embraces new initiatives to improve patient care.
“I have worked at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust for four years, starting as a band 2 health care assistant and progressed to a newly qualified nurse.
“Through the organisation’s dedication to flexible working, I am able to work a combination of office, ward and home working. This mixture supports me to balance my work and home life and helps me to manage professional and personal commitments.”
