The GSD has received the results of a Staff Morale Survey conducted by a doctor or doctors within St Bernard’s Hospital. The results were apparently compiled from anonymous responses collected over two days in October, from 31 contract or permanent doctors and surgeons at the hospital. All the doctors available on those days were apparently approached and all doctors approached responded.

There were three broad areas on which the opinion of doctors were sought: morale, perception of management and continued work within the GHA. A five-point scale was used with 1 being strongly disagree with the statement made and 5 being strongly agree.

The results were that:

94% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “the GHA is well managed”. No doctor actually agreed with the statement.

87% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “management respects the views of the medical staff”

67% have considered leaving the GHA in the last 12 months.

35% are actively looking for work outside the GHA.

13% are leaving in the next 6 months

73% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “moral amongst the doctors in the GHA in general is good”.

39% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “my moral is good”.
 55% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “moral in my department is good”

84% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “morale has improved in the last 12 months”

The GSD says that the comments made by doctors as part of the survey are also concerning. They range from “cultural tendencies and political games constantly interfere with patient’s medical management” to “staff morale is extremely poor under the current management. So much resources are wasted due to poor management. The medical staff is not being consulted by the managers in important matters as budget etc”

Daniel Feetham, the Leader of the Opposition, said:

“These results if true are shocking. They come off the back of the loss of a number of very good surgeons which the Government tried to explain away in a very unconvincing fashion. The Government may say that the survey has not been conducted officially by the GHA but for doctors to feel that they should be conducting and/or participating in such a survey in these numbers, shows that they feel strongly about the current situation at the Hospital.”

The GSD calls on the Minister for Health Neil Costa to undertake an enquiry into this survey and if true address the concerns that have been raised as a matter of urgency.