NHS Trusts to Be Rated on Staff Wellbeing Under New Performance Measures

NHS trusts across England will now be assessed on how well they support and protect their workforce under new performance measures announced by the Government.

For the first time, staff wellbeing will directly contribute to an organisation’s overall performance rating, placing workforce culture alongside traditional measures such as waiting times and operational performance.

The new framework will apply to NHS acute, ambulance and mental health trusts in England and will assess organisations across six key areas:

• Tackling racism.
• Preventing violence against staff.
• Improving sexual safety.
• Supporting flexible working.
• Strengthening line management.
• Promoting staff health and wellbeing.

Each trust will receive a score between one and four in each category, with the results contributing to its overall performance assessment. The Government says the new standards form part of its 10-Year Health Plan and are designed to improve accountability for how NHS organisations support their employees.

The announcement follows continued concerns about the experiences of NHS staff. According to the latest NHS Staff Survey, hundreds of thousands of employees have reported experiencing bullying, harassment, discrimination or violence at work, while significant numbers have also reported unwanted sexual behaviour in the workplace.

Speaking about the new measures, Secondary Care Minister Karin Smyth said NHS staff “deserve to be treated with dignity and respect” and that there has been “no formal accountability” for employers to address issues such as racism, violence and sexual harassment. She said the new standards are intended to change that by ensuring how trusts treat their workforce is measured and published.

Healthcare leaders have broadly welcomed the move, while also stressing that meaningful improvements will depend on consistent implementation and strong accountability across the NHS.

For NHS organisations, the change marks a significant shift in how success will be measured. Alongside delivering timely care, trusts will increasingly be expected to demonstrate that they are creating safe, supportive and inclusive workplaces for the people delivering that care.

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