Unite the union has said that the results of the its GHA stress survey demonstrate the “low morale and exhaustion that staff are feeling.”

Unite Gibraltar said: “Over the last two months Unite the Union has been surveying its membership across the Gibraltar Health Authority.  The Survey includes a set amount of questions where respondents are asked to rate stress levels between 1-5 on a range of issues and question, with five indicating the highest levels of stress. 59% of staff surveyed within St Bernard’s Hospital and the PCC believe that insufficient time is provided in order to complete work tasks. In addition, 65% felt that the employer’s failure to recognise achievements of staff was a significant cause of stress within the workplace. 41% of respondents believed within St Bernard’s and the PCC indicated a lack of respect for staff was also another significant factor in causing stress.  Whilst 88% of respondents in Ocean Views stated that lack of communication between management and staff was detrimental to combatting stress levels. Within the Gibraltar Ambulance Service, 75% highlighted that poor facilities are causing substantial stress within the department. This concern was also shared by night staff within St Bernard’s who answered with a similar percentage of 60% as well as highlighting that 54% of respondents felt there is a lack of specific task training offered by their employer. Unite believes that staff who have been on the frontline supporting the most vulnerable in our community should be correctly recognised for their efforts as well as for the benefit of the service they provide. Going forward it is clear that a lot of work needs to be done to address the staff concerns in the interest of both staff health and safety as well as the service users they care for.

“Unite believes that it is in the interest of all relevant stakeholders to take the results of this survey seriously as the current state of affairs of staff morale being so low and staff stress and anxiety being so high, is not in the short, medium nor long term interest of health workers in Gibraltar. Employees’ mental health must be paramount in trying to improve the service for all within the community, continual stressors in the service will feed into staff absences and a higher staff turnover.

“Going forward Unite will continue to support its members within the Health and Care sector to improve current practices and terms and conditions for staff. Unite urges those that are equally concerned about the findings of these results to support the demonstration on Monday 10^th January at Casemates Square at 4:30pm”.