Mandated minimum standards for facilities as part of improving working conditions is one of the recommendations made by the King’s Fund Policy Adviser, Jessica Holden in a new briefing to address NHS workforce challenges.
The briefing calls for the provision of adequate space and time to take breaks, rest, and where necessary sleep, for all staff. It further calls for guaranteed access to functioning lockers, bathroom facilities and nourishing food and drink in appropriate settings*, and says that employers should receive funding to meet the mandated standard.
On flexible working, the briefing wants to see the government modernise its approach, pointing out that flexibility goes both ways; it is not just the employee fitting in with the organisation, but requires the employer to be flexible in return to meet the staff member’s needs. Although successive governments have recognised the many benefits of flexible working, the King’s Fund has found that it is still not the norm in the NHS.
Other recommendations focus on staff wellbeing, pay and conditions and support for managers and leaders. “Failing to modernise its approach to flexible working risks long-term NHS vacancies becoming a permanent fixture, as the number of UK workers expecting flexible working options continues to rise,” the briefing warns.
The recommendations made in this briefing are intended as early actions that the government could take to enable NHS staff and leaders to deliver the best quality of care in coming months, but are not exhaustive in their scope.
“The recommendations will improve working conditions and lay the foundations for addressing chronic staff shortages and increasing NHS retention and productivity, so that waiting times start to reduce, outcomes and public satisfaction improve, and staff are better equipped to deal with the typically high-pressure winter period,” Jessica Holden states.
* The 2022 National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink mandated the provision of suitable food and drink solutions for all staff 24/7 for all organisations subject to the NHS Standard Contract, although it is believed that many are still working towards achieving this.
