Aim
The purpose of this document is to:
- provide data and resources that can inform and support decision making on safe levels of staffing and activity with BDA members, managers, organisations and commissioners
- analyse workload data and identify the links between excessive workloads, overtime, stress and the impact on the health of BDA members
- obtain initial information from BDA members on the service users’ levels of complexity
Objectives
This document intends to:
- report on average workload activities in different settings within the NHS workforce
- ascertain the average number of patient contacts per whole time equivalent of the NHS workforce and provide guidance on what should be considered safe
- identify variations between workload activities and number of patient contacts in different workplace settings and pay bands within the dietetic workforce
- obtain further information regarding job planning, including data on dietetic time spent outside of Direct Clinical Care (DCC)
- provide an understanding of staffing and workload safety concerns
- give guidance on identifying excessive workloads and thus be able to mitigate this and prevent adverse effects on the stress levels and health of the workforce
- describe how capacity, capability and safety indicators need to be considered alongside each other when calculating staffing needs
- signpost to BDA and other supporting documents
Limitations
The methodology, findings and conclusions of this BDA commissioned project were designed to be inclusive of as many NHS employed BDA members as possible. As such, care must be taken when applying the information provided to specialist areas. We would encourage specialist groups, and those not employed by the NHS to utilise a similar methodology to obtain data that is explicit to their speciality; this would enable guidance to be tailored accordingly. Accompanying resources to take this forward are included in the toolkit.