The Department of Health’s staff engagement survey has revealed increased employee engagement and a workforce positive about its roles and strongly committed to patient care.
According to the Department, the Your Voice in Health survey shows that despite the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Employment Engagement Index stood at 66 per cent, up from 62 per cent last year.
The annual survey is designed to enable staff to identify issues in the workplace and suggest how to better look after their health and wellbeing.
Among other things it found staff felt positive about their roles; had a strong commitment to service delivery and patient care; and felt in alignment with their organisation’s goals and objectives.
The Department said health service providers were reviewing the survey results to ensure support could be provided to those particular areas where improvement was necessary between now and the next survey, to take place in March 2021.
Minister for Health, Roger Cook said the Department’s staff were its most precious asset.
“This has been borne out by the outstanding and ongoing commitment to the health system our staff have made in dealing with the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Cook said.
“This effort alone points to what the survey showed: An increasing level of engagement in our health system, from a workforce committed to providing the best possible patient care.”
He said he had instructed the Department and Health Service Provider Boards to start work immediately on identifying changes that needed to be made.
