What the NHS bank worker survey tells us – and what we must do next
The publication of the latest NHS Staff Survey for bank-only workers provides an important and timely snapshot of how this vital part of the workforce is experiencing work today. For those of us working closely with bank staff across the NHS, the findings will feel both familiar and significant.
At Bank Partners, part of Acacium Group, we see every day the critical role bank workers play in sustaining services, maintaining continuity of care, and providing flexibility to an under-pressure system. At a national level, the latest survey validates many of the themes highlighted in our 2025 whitepaper: From insight to impact: Shaping safer health systems through the experience of the flexible workforce.
The message is clear. Bank staff are committed, motivated and essential but they don’t feel consistently valued, included and supported.
A consistent story: pressure, purpose and potential
The NHS bank worker survey highlights a workforce that is engaged and values flexibility, but is navigating ongoing challenges around workload, wellbeing and recognition.
This closely mirrors what we heard from over 4,000 flexible workers in our own research. In our whitepaper:
- 21% raised concerns about patient safety, most commonly linked to staffing shortages
- 27% had taken time off due to illness, with mental health playing a role for many
- 46% worried about meeting essential living costs, with financial stress impacting wellbeing
- Only 41% expected to stay in their role long term, highlighting growing retention risks
These are not isolated findings. They align strongly with the NHS survey’s themes around safety, stress, engagement and the overall working experience of bank staff.
The takeaway? This is not a new problem - it’s a consistent pattern.
Patient safety: a shared and pressing concern
One of the most important areas of alignment between both datasets is patient safety and the conditions required to deliver it.
In Acacium Group’s whitepaper, one in five (21%) flexible workers reported concerns about patient safety, with staffing shortages (65%) and workload and burnout (13%) cited as the primary risks. Many respondents also questioned whether staffing levels were sufficient to maintain safe care, highlighting the day-to-day realities faced on the frontline.
The NHS bank worker survey reinforces this picture at a national level. A significant proportion of bank staff report witnessing errors, near misses or incidents, and the overall “safe and healthy” scores suggest there is still work to do to create consistently safe environments.
Taken together, both datasets point to the same conclusion: patient safety is not just a clinical issue, it is a workforce issue.
When staffing levels are stretched, workloads are high and staff are fatigued, the risk to patient safety increases. Conversely, when staff feel supported, well-integrated and able to speak up, safety improves.
Flexibility is valued but it’s not enough on its own
One of the clearest areas of alignment between the latest NHS survey and Acacium Group’s whitepaper is the importance of flexible working.
In our research, work-life balance was the number one reason (36%) people choose flexible roles. Similarly, the NHS survey shows that many bank workers value the flexibility their roles provide.
But flexibility alone is not a silver bullet.
Our data shows that wellbeing is driven just as strongly by:
- Good line management
- Positive team culture
- Supportive colleagues
- Adequate staffing levels
- Clear communication
When these elements are missing, flexibility can quickly become a coping mechanism rather than a benefit.
Feeling valued, included and supported
Perhaps the most important and most actionable insight is around experience at work and belonging.
Our whitepaper highlighted a clear “experience at work gap” for flexible workers, compared to their substantive counterparts:
- Declines in induction, on-site support and working environment
- Reports of feeling undervalued or excluded
- Evidence that flexible workers are still too often treated as temporary additions rather than integral members of the team
The NHS survey echoes this through lower scores in areas such as recognition, voice and feeling valued.
This is where the opportunity lies; because unlike system-wide staffing shortages, experience and culture is something organisations can directly influence.
Safety and staffing: the foundation of everything
Both datasets reinforce a fundamental truth: safe staffing underpins everything else.
In our research, 65% of patient safety concerns were linked to staffing issues, with burnout and workload also key drivers.
The NHS survey similarly highlights ongoing pressures around workload, stress and safety.
If we want to improve staff experience, retention and patient outcomes, we cannot treat these as separate issues. They are deeply interconnected.
Where do we go next?
If the findings are consistent, our response must be decisive.
At Bank Partners, we believe the next phase is about moving from insight to action - focusing on practical, system-wide improvements that make a tangible difference to bank staff experience.
1. Treat bank staff as part of the core workforce
Bank workers are not a temporary fix - they are a permanent and essential part of modern workforce models. Integration, not separation, should be the goal.
2. Invest in onboarding and local support
A strong induction, clear access to systems, and visible on-site support can transform the experience of a shift, from uncertainty to confidence.
3. Strengthen line management and team inclusion
Feeling part of a team is one of the strongest drivers of wellbeing. This requires consistent behaviours from leaders and permanent staff alike.
4. Address wellbeing holistically
Mental health, workload and financial stress are interlinked. Supporting staff means looking beyond individual interventions to broader working conditions.
5. Listen and act on feedback
Both surveys show that staff are willing to share their experiences. The challenge is ensuring that feedback leads to visible, meaningful change.
From insight to impact
The NHS bank worker survey is a valuable national benchmark. Our whitepaper provides additional depth and context from across the flexible workforce.
Together, they tell a powerful and consistent story:
- Bank staff are motivated and committed
- They value flexibility
- But they face real and growing challenges
- And their experience in the workplace is not yet fully optimised
The opportunity now is to act on what we already know.
At Bank Partners, we remain committed to working in partnership with NHS organisations to support bank staff not just as a workforce solution, but as a workforce priority.
Because when bank staff feel supported, valued and safe, the entire system benefits and so do patients.
If you’d like to explore how your organisation’s bank workforce is experiencing work, or discuss how we can support improvements, get in touch with our team.