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It is acceptable to work long hours with little or no rest and little or no food.
According to a UNISON survey published today (Wednesday), battered NHS staff do not have time to take breaks or feed themselves during their shifts and are concerned that this will affect their ability to do their jobs.
More than a fraction (53%) say they can’t take normal breaks and nearly one in six (16%) only have time to eat snacks like chips or chocolate in busy shifts.
The figures are based on a survey of 8,573 fitness runners in hospitals or intellectual fitness trusts across the UK. Some (7%) say they never take a break, one in seven (15%) rarely and 3 in ten (31%) alone. do it sometimes, depending on the results.
UNISON says this culture of uninterrupted work has been unleashed through unbearable pressures on the NHS caused in part by pandemic-related shortages and accumulation of treatments.
According to the survey, even fitness staff who can take a break struggle to find a quiet position to relax. Three in ten (31%) say there is no position to move on before returning to work.
More than one in five (23%) say they are sitting in an office, 17% use their car, 7% in the aisles and 6% stop in store lockers. Others mention sitting at bus stops, in hospital chapels or spending their time resting. for single rooms.
Lack or poor quality of food on site is another major problem. More than three-quarters (78%) of night staff and nearly six in ten (59%) of daytime staff say being hungry or thirsty affects the quality of their food. work.
More than a quarter (28%) are unable to eat healthy meal shifts, and 19% of them rely on takeout because there are no on-site facilities.
Nearly a quarter (24%) say there is no place to eat on site. More than a portion (52%) say they have access to a dining room that is only open until 8:00 p. m. m.
The quality of the food is also an issue. More than a part (56%) rated the offer as unsatisfactory, while only 34% considered it adequate. Only one in ten (10%) considered it appropriate.
Sara Gorton, head of fitness at UNISON, said: “Working long hours with little or no rest and little or no food is never acceptable. But the scenario is worse for staff when the demand for fitness is so high. “
“Nurses, carers and other NHS staff want adequate spaces to relax, not cabinets or corridors. They also deserve to have healthy foods to help them during the long hours of operation.
“Otherwise, staff will end up quitting jobs that allow for a healthier, less stressful lifestyle. Everything possible will have to be done to put an end to this culture of ‘no rest, no food. ‘”The staff can then concentrate on what they do best. : offer quality patient care.
Notes to editors:
A total of 8573 hospital fitness trusts (83%) and intellectual fitness trusts (17%) responded to the survey between Thursday, April 14 and Thursday, April 21, 2022.
A movement approved at UNISON’s annual fitness convention in Liverpool in April called for comfortable, personal 24-hour rest areas. He also said hot dishes should be available to staff who are outside of on-site meal service hours.
UNISON is the UK’s largest industrial union, with over 1. 3 million members offering public services in education, local government, NHS, police and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and personal sectors.
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Some NHS trusts in England are looking to save money by setting up wholly-owned subsidiaries to provide services, in a different way known as backdoor privatisation. Say No2Subcos!
As the largest union in the NHS, we deserve adequate investment and support for life-saving intellectual conditioning facilities for all NHS workers.
UNISON, UNISON Centre, Euston Road, London NW1 2AY. 0800 0 857 857
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