Have your say in this year’s Staff Survey
Dear colleagues,
October will see the launch of the 2025 NHS Staff Survey. This is your opportunity to tell us again, about your experiences of working at MWL during the last year. We know there are challenges ahead for the NHS, and for MWL as we continue to establish our new Trust, however, there are lots of good things happening too.
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of hosting meetings with staff across our sites to hear first-hand about the topics you raised in last year’s survey. This included opportunities for flexible working, the quality of your appraisal conversations, how we work as a team and having a say in the changes that affect you.
It was wonderful to hear that many of you feel MWL has a welcoming and friendly culture, good team working, provides excellent patient care and well-maintained environments. You also expressed pride in working here because of the Trust’s outstanding reputation.
You highlighted areas for improvement too, including needing more clarity with systems and processes following the merger, and line manager/executive visibility and communication.
As a result, we have worked hard to develop better processes in our Divisions that will help staff to collaborate and work together. Additionally, manager training has been developed so that we provide consistently high-quality leadership across the organisation, and I have ensured that senior leaders are visible across all our sites.
Throughout this edition of ‘News ‘n’ Views’ you can read more about the actions that have been implemented as a result of your feedback since last year.
Hopefully these are having a positive impact in your area, and we will continue to develop and listen to your views. So, please make sure you fill in this year’s NHS Staff Survey and tell us what it’s like for you to work at MWL.
Rob Cooper Chief Executive Officer
WIN A £50 SHOPPING VOUCHER – just in time for (dare we say it…) Christmas!
As a thank you for sharing your views and helping shape the future of MWL, we’re giving away twenty £50 shopping vouchers to staff who complete the survey. The earlier you complete your survey, the more prize draws you’ll be entered into - so don’t wait!
The survey is completely anonymous - your responses cannot and will not be linked back to you. It’s managed independently by IQVIA, a third-party organisation. Each draw, IQVIA randomly selects a winner from the list of staff who have completed the survey. They then share only the winner’s name with us, so we can get in touch and deliver the good news.
About the survey
The NHS Staff Survey is the largest workforce survey in the world, to put it into perspective - almost 775,000 staff from 263 NHS organisations took part in the 2024 survey.
Each year, staff at every Trust in England are invited to take part, giving a clear insight into what you think about working in the NHS. Your results help MWL to understand what’s working and what needs improving.
Is my feedback anonymous?
Yes - and here’s how you can be sure.
Every year, we hear from staff who are unsure how their survey responses can be confidential. So, let’s clear that up.
Your information, whether that be your email or work address (however you receive the survey) is shared with IQVIA, an independent third-party company that manages the survey on our behalf.
They use it solely to send you either a unique survey link by email or a paper survey to your work address. Your survey response is then sent directly back to them, where they strip out all identifying information before processing responses.
This means your feedback is completely anonymous — and your answers can never be traced back to you.
How do I take part?
For those with an email address on ESR, on Monday 6th October an email from IQVIA will land in your inbox, containing a digital copy of the staff survey.
For those without email addresses, a paper version will be posted to your work address - this will include a freepost return envelope.
For those on long term/special leave, a paper version will be posted to your home address – a freepost return envelope will be included.
The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete, and we’re encouraging all managers to make that time available for their staff.
Can I complete it at home/in my own time?
Yes, if you’d like to complete it in your own time or spend a little longer filling it in –you can forward it to your personal email address.
What happens next?
All surveys must be completed by Friday 28th November 2025
Once the surveys are in, it’s over to IQVIA to pull the responses together and prepare the feedback report – a process that does take some time.
Fast forward to early 2026, and MWL will receive the final results. The Executive Team will then review the findings and these help to determine MWL’s priorities for the following 12 months.
We will share an overview of your feedback through the usual communications channels, MWL News and Trust Brief Live, and you can view the full report online.
2025 NHS survey staff
Key points from last year's
Staff Survey
FLEXIBLE WORKING
You would like more support to discuss flexible working with your manager, and increased opportunities to work flexibly in your department.
We’ve been busy working on your feedback during the last year, implementing some of the changes that matter to you… YOU SAID WE DID
This year, we have updated the flexible working policy to reflect that all colleagues are eligible to apply for flexible working requests and to simplify the process of applying for different working patterns.
Improved training…
To support open and informed conversations about flexible working, a new bitesize training session has been introduced for managers.
The session has already proved popular, with many managers taking part. It covers the process for submitting flexible working requests and explores the different types of flexible arrangements available. If you haven’t signed up already, head over to ESR to make the most of this one-hour training session.
More flexible working patterns…
Focus groups have been held in a number of areas across the Trust helping teams to explore work patterns that can support a better work-life balance. Departments including St Helens Urgent Treatment Centre, Therapies, Sexual Health and Maternity have already accessed this help and have looked at the options available for their teams.
Anne-Marie Stretch, Deputy Chief Executive
“I strongly encourage all managers to give their teams protected time to complete this year’s NHS Staff Survey. This newsletter highlights how valuable staff feedback is and the positive changes it drives - helping make MWL a great place to work.”
LEADERSHIP
YOU SAID WE DID
You'd
like improved support from line managers and better feedback on actions taken in response to issues raised.
In response, we have strengthened the training available to leaders across the organisation, helping them to provide greater levels of support and improved communication. New and improved bitesize leadership courses are now available through the Personal Development Portal, including how to become a motivational leader, tips on engaging your team and much more.
New for 2025 is our Leadership and Management Development Guide, which has everything new and existing leaders need to know – from handling difficult situations to mastering the essentials of management. More information is available on the staff intranet.
Decontamination Manager, Maggie Gilleeney said: “Our team really benefitted from the bespoke leadership training sessions offered by the Trust. It gave everyone an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which we work together, how we support each other as a team, and provided valuable tools to help make further improvements in our area.”
We’ve also introduced a new six-month development programme called Affina Organisational Development, which helps leaders to measure their team’s performance and how they work together, giving them the tools they need to improve effective working within their area.
As well as all of these resources, the Learning and Development Team now offer more bespoke events. These tailored sessions equip leaders with the tools and knowledge to navigate challenging team issues and help managers to boost morale using staff engagement techniques. Contact learning&odteam@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk for more information.
Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV, Dr Mohamed Ghanem said: “As a leadership team, we really want to focus on offering a positive and inclusive culture, and by accessing the additional leadership training it has helped us to really focus on the best ways we can support and engage with our staff.”
Gareth Lawrence, Chief Finance Officer
“I truly appreciate everyone who is actively finding new ways to improve our organisation. Your efforts make a real difference. Let us know if the changes are working for you, or if there’s a better way to do things. Please share your feedback in this year’s NHS Staff Survey - it's your opportunity to be heard and empowered to make a difference.”
STAFF VOICE
Chief Executive, Rob Cooper hosted a series of CEO Team Talks earlier this year, speaking with staff about specific concerns that were raised in the 2024 Staff Survey. 250 colleagues came along and shared their thoughts, and this valuable feedback has been used to implement a Trust-wide action plan. Rob will be hosting more of these events from March 2026 next year, so look out for more information.
You'd like more say in how to make improvements in your area of work.
We believe the best ideas for improving how we work come from the people who know it best - you. You know what works well and where there is room for improvement. That’s why the Service Improvement Team are launching a brand-new initiative introducing ‘Improvement Champions’. All champions will take part in group training designed to build skills, boost confidence and help turn great ideas into real, positive changes.
Ward Clerk, Paul Rawcliffe is one of the first to take on this role: “The only way to improve things is by being pro-active. No action leads to no results, so I’m very much looking forward to using this training and my improved skills to implement positive changes in my area that will benefit patients and my colleagues.”
YOU SAID WE DID YOU SAID WE DID
Some of you said you don’t feel confident raising concerns if you need to.
Everyone should feel confident to raise concerns, so whilst it’s great that the majority of staff are happy to speak up – we’re focusing our efforts to make sure this is 100% going forward. Alongside our dedicated Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, there are also 38 Freedom to Speak Up Champions from different departments right across the Trust, you can speak to any of the champions, regardless of where you work. All of their contact details can be found on the Staff intranet.
Freedom to Speak Up Champions take on this role alongside their day-to-day job, advocating and raising awareness about the importance of staff speaking openly and freely to raise their concerns.
Practice Education Lead, Andrew Perkins, has been a FTSU Champion said: "I have been an FTSU Champion for over 12 months now as I truly believe its important that staff are comfortable to speak up and have their voice heard. I would encourage anyone who feels they may need our support to get in touch with any of my fellow FTSU Champions and Guardians. We are always here to help"
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
You'd like more support around health and wellbeing – especially for stress and burnout.
In response to your feedback, we’ve introduced tailored wellbeing events designed to support you at work.
Delivered by the Health, Work and Wellbeing Team, these sessions offer a range of stress-relief techniques. The team can visit departments and services in-person, making it easier than ever to take a moment to focus on your wellbeing.
There is a wealth of information available on services you can access in the Wellbeing Hub on the staff intranet.
Stephen Donald, Outpatients Ward Manager said: “With the help of our health and wellbeing colleagues, we were able to hold a dedicated wellbeing day in the department that allowed staff to access a number of different services, including yoga, massage and gain information on topics such as menopause. It was a great way to prioritise our wellbeing alongside our day-to-day work and clinics.”
YOU SAID WE DID YOU SAID WE DID
1 in 10 of you said you have experienced an incident of violence at work.
We strive to ensure that nobody has to experience violence at work.
Over the last year, our security team have strengthened partnerships with the local police service, and weekly meetings take place between both organisations, where incidents are discussed and actions put in place.
Additionally, we have strengthened our zero tolerance policy, which has led to more prosecutions and more red card exclusions to those who commit an offence.
Alongside this, CCTV and access systems have been upgraded to ensure that only people with the right access approval are able to enter staff-only zones. We want to make it clear that violence and aggression towards our staff will not be tolerated at MWL.
Sarah O’Brien, Chief Nursing Officer
“Since joining the Trust a few months ago, I’ve enjoyed meeting colleagues and learning about the incredible work they do.
This year’s NHS Staff Survey will be invaluable in helping me understand what makes working at MWL unique, as well as the challenges our staff face.”
LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT
YOU SAID WE DID YOU SAID WE DID
You'd like to get more from your appraisal. This included being given clearer objectives and for your appraisal to feel worthwhile and valuable.
In response to your feedback, a brand-new management appraisal guide has been implemented across MWL for all leaders with appraisal duties. This guide has lots of advice on delivering a great appraisal, from setting objectives to handling difficult conversations.
Alongside the guide, a number of new and improved online and face-to-face training sessions have been delivered to teach colleagues how to deliver a really impactful appraisal.
You
said you would like to have more opportunities to improve your knowledge and skills
A new monthly Learning and Development newsletter is now being shared across the Trust via MWL News and the staff intranet, featuring upcoming training programmes and learning updates.
We’ve expanded preceptorship support and extended our Healthcare Academy to all MWL sites.
The Personal Development Portal now offers even more resources, including additional virtual learning and bite-sized sessions.
Practice Education Facilitator, Riny Jino regularly uses the Personal Development Portal. She said: “I find the Personal Development Portal on the staff intranet a great resource, offering bite-sized materials on topics from ‘emotional intelligence’ to finance for non-financial managerseverything you need to develop and progress in your career.”
Steve Rumbelow, Chairman:
“The NHS Staff Survey is a vital tool for listening to our people. It gives us a clear picture of what we're doing well and where we must improve, so we can build a healthier, more supportive workplace for everyone. By sparing just five minutes to complete it, you're helping shape the future of our organisation.”