Trust which runs West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds set to update board of directors

A Suffolk NHS trust has seen a slight fall in the number of concerns raised by nurses, doctors and other members of staff.

Data released ahead of the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s board of directors meeting, taking place tomorrow, has also shown there have been positive changes in relation to safe staffing levels and the trust’s budget deficit.

In February 2023 the trust which runs West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds said they expected to be left with a £20m deficit at the end of the 2023/2024 financial year.

However in the paper set to be presented to the board of directors tomorrow, Friday May 26, it says the deficit is now expected to be £2.7m.

The trust which also runs Newmarket Hospital said the financial situation has improved significantly, due largely to central non-recurrent funding being made available.

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The papers also looks in detail at the NHS’s freedom to speak up (FTSU) initiative.

Figures show 52 members of trust staff raised concerns as part of FTSU during quarter four: between January – March 2023, this was a slight decrease compared to the previous quarter when 57 were raised.

Between January and March, 33 of the concerns related to worker safety and six to ‘an element of bullying and harassment’.

The trust said they have a growing number of FTSU champions and have recently relaunched peer support network for ‘disabled people and LGBTQ+ colleagues’.

In April the sickness rates for registered nurses and midwives at the trust was recorded at just over four per cent – the lowest for the last year. The overall staff sickness rate for April was slightly above five percent.

When it comes to safe staffing fill rates, again some improvements have been made.

During night shifts in April staffing fill rates for registered nurses and midwifes and care staff, such as nursing assistants, were both above 90 per cent.

In the day there was an 87 per cent staff fill rate for nurses, for care staff the rate was lower at 78 per cent.

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The trust said the workforce at Newmarket Hospital has been bolstered by overseas staff but there were difficulties because of accomodation based issues.

According to the report there has been an increase in staff resignantions during the last month – exit interviews are being conducted with everyone who leaves the trust.