My life at work: always understaffed

Submitted by Matthew on 5 March, 2010 - 4:03 Author: Eleanor Daltrey

Eleanor Daltrey is a healthcare assistant in south London.

Tell us a little bit about the work you do.

I work as a healthcare assistant on an inpatient psychosis unit. We work shifts, and most of the time is spent on the ward interacting with service users and doing thinks like changing beds, taking physical observations and helping with medication or running service user groups for relaxation, music or art. I also accompany service users in the community, for shopping or appointments.

Do you and your workmates get the pay and conditions you deserve?

Pay and conditions are okay. There are small things that add up like shifts finishing late; a lack of training in managing aggression, which increases worker and service user vulnerability; or an absence of supervision and opportunity to discuss problems.

The biggest issue is that we’re always understaffed and even when a shift is “fully” staffed there are often a lot of non-permanent “bank” workers. This can be difficult as they don’t know the service users or how the ward functions. One time I was the only person who had worked on the ward before, and I'd only been there a month!

Has the economic crisis affected your work? Has it affected the way workers think about their jobs?

Obviously there have been cuts across the NHS. The unit used to function on ten nurses or healthcare assistants per shift, now we have five (if we’re lucky). Recruitment is happening but it’s slow. I think, like a lot of workplaces, people feel relieved just to have a job and don’t complain too much.

What do people talk about in your workplace? How easy is it to “talk politics on the job”?

It’s quite difficult to talk about anything, let alone politics, as we’re always in service user areas or too busy. We either don’t get breaks or they’re staggered so workers never spend time together. I imagine there’s more chance to talk on night shifts as the ward is quieter but I haven’t worked nights yet.

Do you enjoy your work?

It can be very busy and hectic, but when a shift is run well and you can engage with, and support people it’s enjoyable. It’s great to see people progressing (on the ward and moving on) and to be able to be part of someone’s steps towards recovery.

What are your bosses like?

Our ward manager is okay, but fairly hands-off — she rarely comes out of her office, leaving nurses to make decisions. The NHS bureaucracy is a problem, with constant changes in how we should be working and how the ward should function. People seem tired of this and complain a lot about “management” but don’t see any solutions. They also don’t see our manager as “management” as she used to be a nurse on the ward.

Is there a union in your workplace, and does it do a good job?

There are several unions in the health service — Unison, Unite and the GMB are the main ones. Unison is the main one in my workplace. The branch is apparently organising campaigns around cuts and proposed closures. However, I’ve tried several times to contact the branch (going to the office, calling and emailing) with no luck, which is fairly poor. I joined online and am still trying to get in touch.

If you could change one thing about your workplace, what would it be?

Having more permanent staff on the ward would make a big difference. It would increase safety on the ward; improve support; and free workers to engage with service users instead of being tied up with paperwork.


Other entries in the “My Life At Work” series, and other workers' diaries

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