BOSSES of the care trust which runs the Centre for Mental Health at Airedale Hospital have pledged to work with staff in areas of job satisfaction after a survey showed a dip against the previous year’s results.

An independent survey carried out last year by Picker Institute Europe, an international charity working across social and health care, assessed how Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust staff felt about their experience of work.

It found the trust scored similarly to a 2015 survey in seven out of nine areas across its mental health, community and learning disability services. All trust staff working in those areas were invited to take part, with 50 per cent completing the survey last year.

Topics covered included appraisals and support for development, equality and diversity, errors and incidents, health and wellbeing, managers, patient care and experience, and staff experiencing violence, harassment and bullying.

In both years, 94 per cent of staff received appraisals, while in 2016, 3.79 out of five staff felt the organisation and management took an interest in staff health and wellbeing. In 2015 the figure was slightly less at 3.78 out of five.

On the subject of errors, near misses or incidents over a four-week period, it was noted 93 per cent were reported in both years.

Two key areas where scores dipped showed that last year, 57 per cent of staff were satisfied with flexible working opportunities compared to 63 per cent in 2015. And while three quarters of surveyed staff said they were able to contribute to improvements at work in 2015, that figure had dropped to 69 per cent last year.

Staff satisfaction with the level of responsibility and involvement was slightly lower this year at 3.82 out of five, compared to 3.89 out of five in 2015.

Sandra Knight, director of human resources and organisational development at the care trust, said: “Over the next 12 months, it’s crucial that we continue to support staff health and wellbeing, and the survey shows that staff recognise the work that we’re already doing in this area. But we also need to work with staff on areas where they are telling us we need to do more.”