UNISON 2013 HCA Survey Summary
UNISON’s 2013 Healthcare Assistant (HCA) Survey received almost 2,000 responses from healthcare assistants, assistant practitioners and care support workers from across the U.K. Respondents working in acute services (45.8%) and mental health (24.7%) made up the majority of responses, with the remainder ranging across a wide spectrum of services.
The most worrisome aspect of the survey’s findings is that 78.4% of respondents felt the adequacy of staffing levels had decreased in the last year. Furthermore, only 15.8% of respondents felt that staffing levels were adequate in their clinical area. As the last year has seen the Francis, Keogh and Berwick reports, and revelations from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that a quarter of trusts may be unsafe, employers should be responding to these reports by ensuring that their workforce is strong and adequately staffed rather than by cutting the number of posts even further.
Another worrying statistic is the high percentage of respondents who have witnessed or experienced violence at work. 20% have seen or experienced physical violence so intense that it required medical attention, and an overwhelming 85% have seen or experienced verbal abuse.
It’s no wonder that 40.2% of respondents considered leaving the NHS either fairly or very seriously in the last year.
Feeling undervalued was ranked as the most significant reason why a respondent considered leaving the NHS. When respondents were then asked how the Government feels about HCAs, only 7.5% were able to agree with the statement “I feel my role is respected by the Government.” Overwhelmingly, HCAs are feeling that their job is neither appreciated nor respected by those in power.
Four out of five respondents (80.9%) were in favour of regulation for HCAs, although opinions were very split as to what body should be given responsibility – the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Care Professions Council, a new body, or the Government. Most (74.2%) agreed however that regulation should be UK-wide rather than the devolved responsibility of each nation. This topic will be discussed in more detail during the interactive Regulation debate on Day One of the HCA Seminar.
Many respondents replied that they would value more training and more follow-through on their development. A third of respondents (32.8%) had not even had an appraisal in the last year, and most (65.5%) agreed that HCAs are not given sufficient access to training to meet their potential. Of the respondents who have had training in more complex tasks, such as taking blood, a third (33.5%) have never practiced that skill since completing the training. Investment needs to be made in training and development opportunities for HCAs, and even more importantly that training needs to be followed through on.
The vast majority of respondents felt that they were capable of performing more complicated tasks than they were currently doing. Most also regularly looked for ways to extend their role. Clearly this is a workforce with a lot of potential that has yet to be realised and which wishes to take opportunity for further training.