NHS leader expresses concern for worn-out workforce

With new figures showing that nearly 360,000 days were lost across the NHS last week due to staff illness or self-isolation due to Covid, the Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Sir James Mackey, has gone on the record to express his concern about the wellbeing of staff across the social care and health sector.

In a new podcast series exploring the big issues facing people working in healthcare at every level - and amid warnings that the country now faces a “tripledemic” threat of Covid, flu and record demand on emergency services - Sir James paints a picture of very tired workforce under relentless pressure that is “never-ending”.

He goes on to stress the importance of ensuring that the wellbeing of NHS staff is properly supported by implementing measures that will enable them to access decent rest space, psychological support and counselling where necessary.

Sir James references the Trust’s recently reopened Health and Wellbeing center, which includes a gym, cafe and ample free space for people to sit and work together, study, or just have some quiet time, as a good example of what can be done to support a fatigued and hard-pressed workforce.

Elsewhere on the Newcross Healthcare Voices of Care podcast, Sir James shares his thoughts on ways to further reduce NHS waiting times, how to ensure that both staff members and patients have the best experience possible, and the importance of recognising and acknowledging achievements that have been made across the health and social care sector.

Hosted by healthcare expert Suhail Mirza, the podcast episode featuring Sir James is available now alongside previous episodes in the series on the Newcross Healthcare website https://www.newcrosshealthcare.com/voicesofcare as well as on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and a range of other podcast platforms.