NHS staff are losing confidence in the quality of care they are providing at the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), according to a survey.

A poll of NHS staff working in trusts across England in 2020 found that 71 per cent of staff at ESNEFT would be happy with the standard of care if a friend or relative needed treatment – but this percentage fell to 63 per cent in 2021.

The survey conducted included 5,063 members of staff at the trust.

The erosion of staff confidence in the health service mirrors a national trend.

Across England, there was a six per cent fall in the number of health workers who are happy with the standard of care, with the proportion falling from 74 per cent in 2020 to 68 per cent last year.

Factors which contributed to the drop in satisfaction included low workforce numbers, unsatisfactory wages and high levels of work-related stress.

Only 22 per cent of ESNEFT staff surveyed said there are enough staff at their organisation for them to do their job properly – a drop from 33 per cent in 2020.

Patricia Marquis, Royal College of Nursing director for England, said the national figures were a result of shortages of staff throughout the NHS.

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She said: “Nursing staff have sent a clear message they’re exhausted and that staff shortages are undermining their efforts to give safe and effective care.

“This is a stark reminder of the impact of tens of thousands of nursing vacancies.”

Kate Read, the director of human resources and organisational development at ESNEFT, pointed out the trust was not an exception when compared to other trusts in the UK.

She said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our staff, as it has in our communities.

“In the main, our national staff survey results for 2021 closely follow the average when compared to other, similar sized organisations in all areas.

“We are creating career pathways for our existing staff to invest in their development going forward, including creating new types of roles that provide interesting opportunities that we hope will help retain and develop our people.”