Sherwood Forest Hospitals has been recognised as the best acute NHS Trust to work for in the East Midlands for the 7th year in a row, according to its own staff.
The 2024 National Staff Survey results show that 71% of colleagues recommended the Trust as a great place to work, which is 11.88% higher than the national average.
The Trust also came top in the East Midlands for:
- A place to receive care – 73.4% of staff would be happy with the standard of care provided here if a friend or relative needed treatment.
- Engagement (7.13 out of 10), which is 2nd highest in the Midlands and 12th nationally.
- Staff morale (6.31 out of 10).
The results, which were published on 13 March 2025, show that Sherwood Forest remains a high-performing Trust across the whole of the Midlands.
Some of the achievements the Trust is most proud of are:
- 90.7% of colleagues feel trusted to do their job.
- 89.1% of colleagues feel their role makes a difference to patients/service users.
- 68% of colleagues say they have access to the right learning and development opportunities when needed. This is top in the Midlands and 4th nationally.
- 63.5% of colleagues believe the Trust is taking positive action on Health and Wellbeing.
This year, 3,855 colleagues shared their voices in the survey, giving a 63.1% response rate - the highest in the Trust’s history.
The results show an overall positive picture of the working environment at Sherwood, highlighting the impact of ongoing efforts to improve patient and staff experience. Despite continued challenges facing the NHS, colleagues have demonstrated resilience and dedication to providing outstanding care.
While these results provide something to celebrate, they also highlight the key areas where the Trust needs to make further improvements. The focus over the next 12 months will include retention, celebration and recognition, and ensuring colleagues have adequate materials and supplies to do their jobs.
Dr David Selwyn, Acting Chief Executive at the Trust, said: “It’s great to see so many of our colleagues take part in the National Staff Survey. Their voices are invaluable in helping us to understand how staff truly feel and where we can continue to improve.
“I’m extremely proud of these results, which reaffirm that Sherwood is not just a great place to work but also somewhere our colleagues would be happy to receive care themselves. These scores are a testament to the dedication of our teams, and it’s particularly encouraging to see improvements in key areas, such as fewer colleagues reporting experiences of bullying, violence, or harassment from patients or the public.
“While these results are encouraging, we recognise that there is still more to do, and we are already taking action to address areas of improvement. Our focus will be on working closely with colleagues to ensure SFH is an even better organisation to be part of.”
Rob Simcox, Director of People at the Trust, said: “I am incredibly proud of this year’s results. They mark yet another milestone in our journey to making Sherwood a great place to work.
“It’s particularly inspiring to see how many of our colleagues believe in Sherwood, reinforced particularly by the fact we have been ranked as the best NHS acute Trust to work for in the East Midlands for the 7th year in a row. This is an incredible achievement, especially after another challenging year.
“We know there are areas where we can do better, and we’re already taking the next steps to address the feedback. Our commitment remains strong to improving life here at Sherwood and to supporting colleagues to continue to deliver outstanding care to our patients.”
Sherwood Forest Hospitals remains dedicated to fostering a positive workplace culture where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and empowered to provide the best possible care.
If you are interested in a career at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, please check the vacancies on the Trust’s website.
