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Factors affecting staff morale on inpatient mental health wards in England : a qualitative investigation

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Totman, Jonathan, Lewando Hundt, Gillian, Wearn, Elizabeth, Paul, Moli and Johnson, Sonia. (2011) Factors affecting staff morale on inpatient mental health wards in England : a qualitative investigation. BMC Psychiatry, Vol.11 (No.68). ISSN 1471-244X

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-68

Abstract

Background: Good morale among staff on inpatient psychiatric wards is an important requirement for the
maintenance of strong therapeutic alliances and positive patient experiences, and for the successful
implementation of initiatives to improve care. More understanding is needed of mechanisms underlying good and
poor morale.
Method: We conducted individual and group interviews with staff of a full range of disciplines and levels of
seniority on seven NHS in-patient wards of varying types in England.
Results: Inpatient staff feel sustained in their potentially stressful roles by mutual loyalty and trust within cohesive
ward teams. Clear roles, supportive ward managers and well designed organisational procedures and structures
maintain good morale. Perceived threats to good morale include staffing levels that are insufficient for staff to feel
safe and able to spend time with patients, the high risk of violence, and lack of voice in the wider organisation.
Conclusions: Increasing employee voice, designing jobs so as to maximise autonomy within clear and wellstructured
operational protocols, promoting greater staff-patient contact and improving responses to violence may
contribute more to inpatient staff morale than formal support mechanisms.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

R Medicine > R Medicine (General)

Divisions:

Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Health and Social Studies
Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Mental Health and Wellbeing
Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Social Science & Systems in Health (SSSH)

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Employee morale, Hospitals -- Employees -- Job satisfaction, Mental health personnel -- Job satisfaction

Journal or Publication Title:

BMC Psychiatry

Publisher:

BioMed Central Ltd.

ISSN:

1471-244X

Official Date:

21 April 2011

Dates:

Date	Event
21 April 2011	Published

Volume:

Vol.11

Number:

No.68

Identification Number:

10.1186/1471-244X-11-68

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Publication Status:

Published

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

Funder:

National Institute for Health Research (Great Britain) (NIHR)

Grant number:

08/1604/142 (NIHR)

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