Midwives most abused workers in NHS

(5/1/04) Midwives report more incidents of harassment than any other group of workers in the NHS, according to a report set to be released by the Institute of Employment Studies at the end of the month.

Verbal abuse was the most common form of harassment experienced by midwives but they also suffer from higher than average levels of racial abuse.

The high levels of racial abuse are probably associated with the high proportion of minority ethnic respondents in this staff group.

38% of midwives have experienced harassment, compared with 36% of hospital nurses, and 33% of health assistants. Doctors, administrative staff and other groups were lower down the list.

Levels of physical abuse are lower for midwoves, however - with only 20% suffering a physical assault, compared with 49% of healthcare assistants and 40% of nurses.

The results of the report are based on 97,000 questionnaires completed by staff at 99 London NHS trusts between 2000 and 2002.

“The results came as surprise,” said Dilys Robinson of the Institute of Employment Studies. "But midwives do have to deal with people in very difficult circumstances.”

The report found that midwives are the biggest group of healthcare workers to say they want to leave their employment to join another trust.

“There is also a lot of dissatisfaction regarding how they feel valued in their profession and there are importance issues to do with their training and career prospects.”

The survey, to be published at the end of this month is called ‘healthy attitudes: quality of working life in the London NHS 2000-2002’ and monitors staff attitudes across a range of areas.

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