Staff pledges
These are designed to clearly set out for the first time what the NHS expects from its staff and what staff can expect from NHS employers.
The Department of Health sees this as part of the commitment the NHS has to being a good employer and helping staff feel valued. They are not intended as legal obligations but may create expectations of employers.
The NHS Constitution includes the following pledges to staff.
- The NHS Commits to provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities.
- The NHS Commits to provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed.
- The NHS Commits to provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety.
- The NHS Commits to engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families.
Responsibilities for staff
The constitution also includes a set of responsibilities for staff. The key ones follow.
- Staff should aim to maintain the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care you personally provide, but also for your wider contribution to the aims of your team and the NHS as a whole.
- Staff should aim to take up training and development opportunities provided over and above those legally required of your post.
- Staff should aim to be open with patients, their families, carers or representatives, including if anything goes wrong; welcoming and listening to feedback and addressing concerns promptly and in a spirit of co-operation. You should contribute to a climate where the truth can be heard and the reporting of, and learning from, errors is encouraged.
These responsibilities are not legally binding on staff, but enable employers to have clear expectations on staff.
Download the full NHS Constitution from the Department of Health website.