NHS Staff Survey Shows Less Burnout but Ongoing Concerns

The latest annual NHS staff survey for 2024 showed a reduction in workforce stress and burnout, alongside improved satisfaction with pay and working conditions compared with the previous year. 

Although the proportion of staff who reported harassment, bullying, or abuse fell slightly, significant numbers still reported it. Discrimination against healthcare staff from patients and the public maintained an upward trend, and rates of physical violence were stable.

The survey, the world’s largest workforce study, collected responses from 747,288 staff across 210 NHS trusts in England. This represents a 50% response rate from the 1.5 million NHS employees invited to participate between September and November 2024. 

Respondents included 220,501 nurses, 114,818 allied health professionals, 108,843 admin and clerical staff, 56,290 nursing or healthcare assistants, 50,776 doctors or dentists, and 27,056 ambulance personnel.

Most staff (87.76%) said they felt their role made a difference to patients. However, only 34% felt there were enough staff at their organisation to do their job properly, although that was a 1.7% improvement from 2023. Ambulance trusts saw the biggest increase, up 6.5% from 29.3% in 2023 to 35.8% in 2024.

Burnout Rates Drop, But Emotional Toll Remains

Fewer than two-thirds of respondents (64.28%) they would be happy with the standard of care provided by their organisation if a friend or relative needed treatment. Even fewer (60.80%) would recommend their organisation as a place to work. 

While staff burnout levels were at their lowest levels since 2021, many still reported negative feelings:

• 30% found work emotionally exhausting.
• 30% felt burnt out.
• 35.5% found work frustrating.
• 42.2% felt worn out by the end of their shift.
• 29.3% lacked energy for family and friends in their leisure time.

Workplace Harassment and Violence Persist 

More than a quarter of staff reported experiencing harassment, bullying, or abuse. While rates have fallen from their peak in 2021, they remain high:

• 25.1% faced abuse from patients and the public (down from 27.8%).
• 17.6% experienced bullying from colleagues (down from 18.7%).
• 9.5% reported harassment from managers (down from 11.6%).

The proportion of staff who reported being the target of unwanted sexual behaviour in the workplace remained similar to 2023, with 8.82% experiencing such behaviour from patients or service users and 3.66% from colleagues.

Rates of physical violence remained stable: 14.4% from patients and the public; 0.8% from managers; and 1.9% from colleagues. 

Leadership Responds to Findings

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, expressed concern over the continued high levels of workplace abuse. However, she noted improvements in flexible working, work-life balance, and staff satisfaction with line managers. The 5-year low in rates of people feeling unwell due to work-related stress was also encouraging.

Suzie Bailey, director of leadership and organisational development at The King’s Fund, said the survey showed the NHS remains an unattractive career choice, “with many NHS staff feeling undervalued and overstretched”. She highlighted ongoing issues of burnout and mental distress and disproportionate abuse against Black, Asian, and ethnic minority staff. 

“Shockingly one in seven of all NHS staff have experienced at least one act of physical violence in the past year from patients and the public,” Bailey noted. 

On a positive note, industrial action that had “blighted the service” in recent years has largely been resolved. Satisfaction with pay among medical and dental staff rose by 16% to 48% in 2024.

NHS Workforce Faces Critical Challenges 

Dr Billy Palmer, PhD, a senior fellow at the Nuffield Trust, described the survey as “an important litmus test for how the workforce is feeling”. He acknowledged signs of improvement but warned of ongoing challenges. 

An increase in staff reporting sufficient workforce numbers – from 26% in 2022 to 34% in 2024 – aligns with a rise of 140,000 NHS workers across hospitals, general practice, and community services.

However, NHS sickness absence rates in October 2024 were 18% higher than in the same month before the pandemic. Over a quarter of days lost to sickness were linked to anxiety, stress, and mental health issues.

While fewer staff reported feeling unwell due to work-related stress, it remained “worryingly high”, and there was a risk of it “being normalised”, Palmer said.

According to Bailey, the findings were a “cause for concern”. She noted that the survey results come ahead of the government publishing its health service reform plans, with ministers relying on the NHS workforce to deliver the measures.

Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.