The annual NHS National Staff Survey is now live, and I invite you all to take part and have your voice heard.
Staff surveys, taken throughout the year, are one of the key measures for us to better understand how you feel about working at UHB.
It is with this feedback that we can make changes and improvements, and share best practice where it occurs, for the benefit of every one of us working here.
You have already been asked to complete three short surveys this year. This one is the big, in-depth survey that all NHS colleagues are invited to take part in each year.
While I hope we will see an improvement in your responses, my biggest concern is ensuring as many of you as possible take the time to fill in the survey. All line managers have been asked to work with you to find time for you to complete the survey in a safe and quiet space during your working day.
My only ask is that you take the time, and you are honest in your answers.
Jonathan Brotherton, Chief Executive
Find your survey by searching 'from: nhsstaffsurvey@iqvia.com' or 'subject: Staff Survey 2024' in your UHB email inbox.
Have you completed the staff survey?
Good Hope
38% of staff at Good Hope have completed the survey
Heartlands
38% of staff at Heartlands have completed the survey
QEHB
37% of staff at QEHB have completed the survey
Solihull
39% of staff at Solihull have completed the survey
How it works
Every autumn, all NHS colleagues are invited to complete the NHS National Staff Survey, which captures a national picture of staff experience, as well as the local detail.
Last year at UHB, we heard from nearly 7,000 of you, giving us a great insight into your experiences of working here and a better understanding of your main concerns were.
Our main priority is to improve the way it feels to work here, creating an environment where every one of us can flourish. This annual survey allows us to see what areas you are happy with and those that need to be improved.
The survey works by enabling organisations, employees and future employees to understand what it is like for staff working across different parts of the NHS.
The NHS National Staff Survey is run independently by an accredited survey contractor called IQVIA. In advance of the survey going live, staff data is exported from the Trust’s Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and transferred to IQVIA using a secure online portal. The data includes staff names, work addresses and staff groups. Only the IQVIA Survey Team has access to the secure portal – UHB does not. IQVIA then creates a unique code for each colleague, to track their progress along the way and keep all responses anonymous. The Trust has no knowledge of which unique code relates to each colleague. Through tracking each codes progress, IQVIA will be able to send reminders to anyone who has not yet completed the survey while it is live. The Trust will not know if or when you complete your survey.
The survey consists of 117 questions in total. Once completed, all findings are reported back to the Trust as an overall picture and by teams of ten or more. The data is also transferred to the NHS Coordination Centre, who create national benchmarking reports for all NHS organisations. Afterwards, all staff details will be deleted from the IQVIA secure portal and paper questionnaires destroyed securely.
This year’s survey goes live on Monday 30 September and will remain open until Friday 29 November. Please take the time to complete it during this time period. Your voice matters, and we are committed to listening and action on your feedback.
Completing the survey
Depending on your role, you will either receive a copy of the survey via email from IQVIA or via internal mail. The first email will be sent on launch day (Monday 30 September) and will be titled ‘NHS Staff Survey 2024 Invitation: University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’ and subsequent reminder emails will be titled ‘NHS Staff Survey 2024 Reminder: University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’.
This year, when you complete the survey, you will also have the option to be entered into our prize draw for the chance to win a voucher. For those completing an online survey, there will be a question at the end asking whether you consent to take part in the prize draw. Those who complete paper copies will automatically be added to the prize draw, but if picked, will be contacted privately by the survey contractor to seek consent to pass your name on to us. If you choose not to consent, then an alternative winner will be chosen.
Winners will be picked at random, the prizes for 2024 are:
- 1 x £500 One4All voucher
- 1 x £250 One4All voucher
- 1 x £100 One4All voucher
One4All vouchers can be used in thousands of stores, restaurants and attractions, the lucky winners will have plenty of choice when deciding what to spend them on.
How is the survey anonymous?
We know that the confidentiality of the NHS Staff Survey is a key concern for some colleagues. Please be reassured that your answers are completely confidential and anonymous. Find out how below.
Secure portal
To allow surveys to be delivered and results broken down, staff data from our Electronic Staff Record (ESR), which includes your name, work address and staff group, is sent to IQVIA This data is transferred using a secure online portal, which only the IQVIA Surveys Team will have access to – the Trust does not.
Unique code
A unique code is assigned to every colleague to track completion of the survey, and if you complete the survey, your code will be registered as complete and you will no longer receive reminders. The Trust is not able to match these codes with individual answers or see whether you personally have completed the survey. IQVIA will not supply identifiable data to the Trust under any circumstances.
Anonymised report
All findings will be reported in anonymised form for teams of 10 or more people to prevent identification. The data is transferred to the NHS Coordination Centre, who will create national benchmarking reports confidentially. All staff details will be deleted from the secure portal after the survey closes and paper questionnaires destroyed securely.
How can I be sure the survey is anonymous?
Amy Passey, Associate Director of Engagement, and Olga Leach-Walters, Co-Chair of the REACH Staff Network and Staff-side Group Secretary, have a chat about the staff survey and how your response remains anonymous
This video was filmed 2019 therefore our survey provider and job titles mentioned in this video have since changed. However, the content and conversation are still relevant and correct.
Take 15 minutes
All line managers have been asked to work with their team members to find them time to complete the survey while it is live. This time will be in addition to your usual break, and you will be able to leave your area of work to complete the survey if you wish to.
If you would like to be a survey champion and speak to others about the survey, you can download a handy pack below:
FAQs
What is the purpose of the Staff Survey?
The NHS National Staff Survey gathers feedback from colleagues to better understand experiences of working within your organisation. The insights from this survey serve as a foundation for bettering the working environment and ultimately, elevating the quality of patient care. It also enables comparisons between the experiences of staff working across the NHS.
When does the survey launch?
The 2024 NHS National Staff Survey opens on Monday 30 September and closes on Friday 29 November. Results will be published in March 2025.
When do I complete the survey?
You are not expected to complete this survey during your free time or during your breaks. All line managers have been asked to work with individuals in their team to find time to complete the survey while it is live. You can also find time without the support of your line manager if that is easier for you. You will receive reminders from IQVIA until you have completed the survey or it has closed.
Is taking part mandatory?
Everyone is encouraged to take part, but the survey is not mandatory. You will receive regular reminders before the deadline of Friday 29 November, unless you complete the survey or opt out.
To opt out please email IQVIA or send your paper survey back to them uncompleted.
Is the survey confidential?
Yes. UHB has no access to individual responses nor access to your unique code. IQVIA will not supply any identifiable data to the Trust under any circumstances. As an accredited survey contractor, IQVIA complies with ISO20252, ISO 270001 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Can I switch to online/paper?
Yes. If you received a paper version of the survey and would like to submit your answers online, there will be login details on the covering letter that the survey arrives with.
However, if you received an online survey then unfortunately you are not able to switch to paper.
How will the results be used?
IQVIA reports the results to the Trust in anonymised reports for teams of ten or more people. We can then use these reports to identify issues, plan ahead and make your experience with us the best it can be. It is also an opportunity for us to locate good practice, celebrate it and share it wider across the organisation. National results will be published online in 2025 for each NHS organisation.
Why are the results not available sooner?
The NHS National Staff Survey takes time to produce due to its purpose and the intricacy of the data. The ‘what happens next’ document provides an explanation on the publication timescales.
What happens with the information collected?
The questionnaires are collected and checked by IQVIA and then sent to the Survey Coordination Centre. The Survey Coordination Centre is then able to provide us with data to compare our performance with other NHS organisations and produces national statistics for NHS England. As a Trust, we use the data to measure our performance against the ‘Our People’ priority in our Trust strategy, and use what you tell us to introduce, improve or extend initiatives to improve how it feels to work at UHB.
What are the similarities and differences between the main Staff Survey and the Staff Survey for bank only workers?
A single staff list is provided to IQVIA that includes both substantive and bank only colleagues. Depending on whether you are a substantive colleague or work solely for UHB Plus (you are not also substantively employed), you will receive the relevant survey via IQVIA.
Whilst the survey questions for both groups are aligned to the NHS People Promise, the questions for bank only workers are tailored to ensure they are appropriate for them.
Substantive colleagues are sent an email with a link to the survey or a paper survey, whilst bank only workers are sent an email with a link to the survey or a paper invitation with a QR link to the online survey. For bank only colleagues, IQVIA can also send reminders via SMS to your contact number.
Is the Staff Survey for bank only workers an official statistic?
As it is a new survey, the results of the NHS Staff Survey for bank only workers are not currently an official statistic.
The UK Statistics Authority define an official statistic as ‘produced by an organisation named by the Statistics and Regulation Service Action 2007 and described by that organisation as an official statistic or part of a set of official statistic’:
What happens if an individual works for one organisation as a substantive staff member and for another organisation as a bank worker?
In this situation, the individual will be sent two surveys, one from their ‘substantive trust’ and one from their ‘bank only trust’. This way, the individual can provide feedback for every organisation that they are actively working for or can choose which organisation(s) to feed back on.
Need to know more?
If you have any questions about the Staff Survey, please get in touch.