One in five doctors and nurses feel pride in the NHS

Just one in five doctors and nurses feel pride or optimism about the NHS – yet senior managers are confident about its future, a damning survey has found.

The research by think tank The Kings Fund found a “consistent disconnect” between the fears and concerns felt by frontline staff, and far more positive views felt by NHS board executives.

Patients’ groups last night said the findings demonstrated “alarming complacency” among senior managers, and said too many were “out of touch” with the experiences of healthcare staff.

The survey of 2,000 nurses, doctors and managers found that just 20 per cent of nurses and 23 per cent of doctors said they felt “pride and optimism” about the NHS – compared with 63 per cent of executive directors.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “It is really alarming to see these levels of complacency among those at the top of organisations, who seem really out-of-touch with the views of frontline staff.”

She said the despondency felt by many nurses and doctors was worrying, and likely to reflect increasing difficulties for staff coping with financial pressures on the NHS.

Last month a survey of NHS finance directors found that just one in six expect their organisation to achieve financial balance by the end of the current financial year.

The new research found just 30 per cent of all staff thought swift and effective action was taken to tackle inappropriate behaviour, while 39 per cent said their own organisation was characterised by “openness and honesty”.

In a separate report, the think tank called for changes in the way the NHS is run, to promote “collective leadership” and closer dialogue between staff and employers.

Nicola Hartley, director of Leadership Development at The King’s Fund said: “The survey reveals a mixed picture of leadership and compassion in the NHS. The disconnect between the views of executive directors and other staff, especially nurses and doctors, is cause for concern.“

Just 22 per cent of respondents thought the quality of leadership in the NHS is good or very good – a rise from 14 per cent when the question was posed last year.

The survey found that just 37 per cent of respondents thought the quality of leadership in their organisation was good – the same as when the same question was posed a year ago.

Ms Hartley said: “Creating truly compassionate patient services requires collective leadership, where all staff take responsibility for the success of the organisation and that this is actively promoted by leaders in the organisation.”

Source The Telegraph