WORKERS at Great Western Ambulance Trust have the lowest morale in the country. They also work more hours than colleagues at other trusts, a health care watchdog has found.

  • Only 17 per cent of staff got appraisals in 2006
  • Staff said it had the lowest "positive feeling" in the country.
  • It had the second lowest rating of work life balance in the country.
  • It had the lowest rating for staff involvement and feedback
  • Joint highest number of staff (88 per cent) working extra hours in the country.
  • Second highest number of staff working overtime due to pressure of job.
  • Second highest number of staff suffering work-related injury
  • It has the highest percentage of staff (55 per cent) in the country that have experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from patients.

The Health Commission carried out the national survey asking staff what it was like to work for the NHS last year.

Almost half, 45 per cent, of Great Western Ambulance employees gave their views.

It recorded the lowest "positive feeling" compared to other trusts. It also had the worst record for giving staff feedback and making them feel involved.

As a result more staff felt under pressure than at any other trust. Swindon paramedic Phil Davis said he wasn't surprised by the survey results.

He said since Wiltshire Ambulance Service merged into a bigger trust working conditions had got worst.

"They have not filled any vacancies for years so staff have to work extra hours to fill these holes," he said.

"It puts extra pressure on staff. The trust hasn't fulfilled the duty of giving appraisals. If you have low morale and excessive hours, that leads to people leaving. I'm not surprised, I think when we were a smaller trust, we had more of a family feel."

The report revealed the trust had the second highest amount of employees who intended to quit. The survey found the trust had the joint highest number of employees, 88 per cent, who worked extra hours.

And it came out with the second highest percentage of staff forced to work additional hours to cope with the demands and pressure of the job.

Along with the South East Coast Ambulance Trust, Great Western workers witnessed more harmful errors than elsewhere, the finding said.

Employees also endured more harassment and bullying from patients. Despite the high stresses of the role, the survey showed that many ambulance drivers and paramedics were not appraised.

Less than one fifth of staff got appraised in 2006 - the lowest out of the 11 trusts surveyed.

On average 43 per cent of workers were appraised elsewhere.

Only a handful - eight per cent of workers received a personal development plan - one quarter of the average.

Director of human resources at the trust, Judy Saunders, said: "We accept that many of the results of the staff survey are disappointing."

She said changes in the organisation have led to low staff morale.

"In the year of survey there has been a huge amount of change for staff to cope with. We have seen the merger of three large ambulance trusts, each with their own way of working; plus the implementation of the new nationally-driven pay and awards scheme Agenda for Change.

"Despite the demands placed on them, most staff have shown real commitment," she said.

The trust plans to start a new forum for sharing information with staff within the next year.

Ms Saunders pointed out one of the few positives found by the report: "It is pleasing to note that the survey did recognise the trust's continued investment in training and development where 89 per cent of staff said they had received training in the previous 12 months," she said.

Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, which runs Great Western Hospital, had the second highest number of employees - 68 per cent - forced to work extra hours to cope with pressure.

It also shared the highest percentage of staff with work-related stress along with two other hospitals.

But staff reported average "positive feeling" about working there, with 60 per cent of staff answering the survey questions.