ABSTRACT
Introduction: As part of the last two peer review processes the East of England Critical Care Network have undertaken SAQ [1] involving staff in the 18 hospitals in the region. The questionnaire is divided into 7 scales and allows a wide assessment of safety culture which has been associated with improved outcomes and reduced adverse incidents [2]. The two surveys straddle the Covid-19 pandemic which has had a recognised impact on staff welfare. We postulated that this is likely to be identifiable within the survey and wished to understand the effect on different staff groups and levels of experience. Method(s): The survey was distributed using an online platform and analysed in R. Result(s): 1647 questionnaires were completed in 2019 (753) and 2022 (894). Demographic data was collected for role (nursing, medical, AHP, support) and critical care experience (short: < 4 years medium: 4-10 years, long: > 10 years). For all staff Climate scores fell significantly in all scales except stress recognition, most noticeably in job satisfaction and working conditions. This was also the case within the nursing subgroup;however, it was not seen in medical staff (though there was a less pronounced trend). AHPs reported a marked reduction in job satisfaction. Support staff also demonstrated big reductions in all scales including teamworking and safety climate. The fall in job satisfaction and working condition scales were also most profound in staff with 4-10 year's critical care experience. Conclusion(s): The pressures of the pandemic have had a lasting effect on most staff groups, particularly in job satisfaction and working conditions. This appears to have particularly impacted nursing and support staff. Those of moderate experience may have been the staff most directly involved with increased patient care and expectations to undertake managerial roles with reduced training. The impact of this appears to be ongoing despite efforts to support staff well-being.