This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Job satisfaction up among doctors
11/12/2006
New independent academic research published today shows that job satisfaction among Scotland's senior doctors has risen substantially over the last five years.
A team from the Health Economics Research Unit at Aberdeen University and NHS Education for Scotland North Deanery undertook a national survey of the working conditions and job satisfaction of doctors in NHS Scotland. This follows a similar exercise carried out in 2001. Today's report finds:
- Overall job satisfaction has increased significantly among the doctors questioned
- A substantial drop in the numbers of doctors who feel workload is impacting on patient care
- Consultants and GP's are spending more of their time on clinical work
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"Better patient care is delivered by doctors who are happier in the work they do. That's why I'm delighted to see the growing positive attitudes among our senior doctors.
"In recent years we have introduced high profile new contracts for consultants and GP's. Rightly, that has meant improved pay and conditions, but in return it's also given us far more control over how our doctors work.
"I'm convinced this research means we can also look forward to longer-term improvements in quality, productivity and the recruitment and retention of doctors. That can only be good news for our health service and good news for patients too."
Lead researcher Professor Matt Sutton said:
"The report outlines significant increases in job satisfaction levels among Scotland's senior doctors. These increases are seen across all of the domains of job satisfaction that we measured. Similarly, workload attitudes show substantial improvement from the baseline study undertaken in 2001. The findings portray a workforce whose outlook about their jobs has been transformed in the last five years."
Background:
The research used the standard academic job satisfaction tool (the Warr-Cook-Wall scale) across nine specific domains of job satisfaction. Scores above 5 indicate a positive level of satisfaction. The proportions reporting scores of 5 or more have increased from 59% to 72 % for consultants, 56% to 75% for GP's and 63% to 68% for Staff and Associate Specialist (SAS) doctors.
The percentage of consultants who feel their workload means they are unable to provide their desired standards of patient care has fallen dramatically from 66.5% in 2001 to 40.2% this year. For GP's the figure has dropped from 71.6% to 40.6% over the last five years.
The Second National Survey of Non-training Grade Doctors in NHS Scotland was commissioned by the Scottish Executive Health Department in 2005. To obtain an electronic copy of the report please contact the Scottish Executive communications team on the number given below.