Four-day week for NHS would stop exodus of staff

The 4 Day Week campaign called for trials of a four-day, 32 hour working week for staff across the health service after new research this week showed that 78% of staff are considering leaving the NHS.

Vacancies in the NHS already stand at one in ten (10%) amounting to a total of 133,000 posts needing to be filled and the report argues that overwork is a key reason for this, according to the report.

The findings show that since 2011/12, work-life balance has quadrupled as a reason cited for leaving the NHS and is now the second most common behind retirement.

It estimates that for every three nurses to be trained by March 2024, one experienced nurse will leave citing lack of work-life balance.

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Feeling unwell due to work-related stress is now a common experience among almost half of NHS staff, which represents a substantial rise over the last decade that can snowball in its effects, affecting care quality.

Long shifts of up to twelve hours are the prevailing working pattern in British hospitals, but the report found that across Europe, they are far from the norm. Only 14% of nurses across Europe regularly work 12-hour shifts, most of whom are employed in three countries; Ireland, Poland, and the UK. These shifts are now becoming longer and longer, with less time for breaks in between, a scenario that is creating a toxic recipe for worker stress, burnout and in turn risking poorer outcomes for patients.

The report proposes a series of four-day week trials to be conducted starting with specific trusts, and if possible, integrated care systems and primary care networks. NHS staff taking part in the trials would remain on the same pay.

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Joe Ryle, Director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “It’s very clear that the main reason NHS staff are quitting is because of a lack of work-life balance.

“As we’ve seen in other areas of the economy, there are huge advantages with a four-day working week for both workers and employers. For the NHS it could help to improve job retention, reduce the reliance on expensive agency staff and improve the quality of care.

“We think trials are going to be an important first step.”

Professor John Ashton, former President of the Faculty of Public Health, who backed the report said: “Much more flexibility for NHS staff including the option of a four-day week is going to be key to ending the staff shortages we’re seeing.

“A four-day week for NHS staff would enable people to juggle family responsibilities while maintaining their active participation in the workforce, and would mean many more people are able to work longer into their 60s and beyond.

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“With job retention levels so low, agencies are charging the NHS around 20% or more extra for staff. A four-day week could dramatically improve job retention and result in this money being re-directed back towards the health service.”

In June, 61 companies signed up to the six-month trial, overseen by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Boston College in the U.S, meaning teams worked 80% of their contracted hours, with no loss of pay.

At least 56 are continuing with the four-day week, with 18 saying the policy is a permanent change, the results revealed.

Over the period, 71% of employees taking part reported lower levels of burnout.

Measures of work-life balance improved. Respondents found it easier to balance their work with both family and social commitments, and were more satisfied with their household finances, relationships and how their time was being managed.