Almost one in two hospital workers at NHS trust 'so stressed they feel sick'

Results from the annual NHS Staff Survey reveal that 45.5 pc of those at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT) who responded reported being so stressed because of their work that it made them feel sick. Almost a third - 29pc - of staff who replied said they experienced harassment from patients, relatives or other members of the public in 2024.

This is up 2pc from the previous year, and is 5pc higher than the average result across NHS trusts. Health workers have even had to put up with physical violence from the public, with one in six staff who answered the survey saying this affected them. READ MORE: Queen's Hospital A&E staff 'burnt out' with record demand Queen's Hospital in Romford (Image: Charlotte Anderson) The survey offers a host of other insights into what it is like working at BHRUT - which covers Queen's Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Goodmayes - on everything from development opportunities to discrimination.



The data shows that one in ten trust workers answered they have experienced bullying or harassment from their managers, while one in five have experienced this from other colleagues. However, in both categories, harassment has been steadily falling since 2020. In a section of the survey about having a "safe and healthy" work environment, only 34 pc of BHRUT staff who answered said they felt that there was enough staff at the organisation to allow them to do their job properly.

A total of 4,764 staff across the trust responded to the survey - half of the workforce - and BHRUT chief executive Matthew Trainer said this shows they "believe it’s worth taking the time to speak up about what works and what needs to improve". BHRUT chief executive Matthew Trainer (Image: Charlotte Anderson) He added: "It’s unacceptable staff are experiencing violence and discrimination in our hospitals. "We will continue our No Abuse, No Excuse campaign, and will do more to support our staff to speak out about their experiences so we can take appropriate action.

" The campaign introduced body-worn cameras for staff in A&Es, as well as making it easier for staff to "red card" or ban abusive patients from the trust's hospitals. BHRUT also said it has "provided de-escalation and breakaway training" and "increased security in high-risk areas"..