The British Journal of Healthcare Assistants (BJHCA) has published the results of a survey which shows that healthcare support workers overwhelmingly back recommendations about their role, outlined in the Francis Report.
The survey found that 93% of 385 respondents agreed there should be a code of conduct and compulsory registration for healthcare support workers; 90% agreed support staff should wear a distinctive uniform and ID badge; 97% agreed there should be common standards; 76% said healthcare support workers should be regulated and renamed ‘nursing assistants’; and 67% said they would pay an annual fee for registration. Beyond the Francis Report, respondents gave their opinion on patient care. Some 85% of respondents described the care given to patients in their workplace as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, 47% said a shortage of staff was the number one threat to patient care; 12% said it was ‘focus on targets’. Some 9% spoke of ‘a negative work culture’, 8% ‘financial pressures’ and 7% ‘a lack of care standards’.
