Most NHS staff ‘get insomnia and struggle with everyday tasks’ due to gruelling night shift work, study finds

Most NHS staff ‘get insomnia and struggle with everyday tasks’ due to gruelling night shift work, study finds Nurses say NHS shift work is ‘physically, intellectually and emotionally draining… made worse due to workforce shortages’ as study shows its making staff ill Most hospital workers have “shift work disorder” and are left too tired to carry out everyday tasks, new research suggests. A study of 440 staff at two NHS trusts found three out of four met the criteria for probable shift work disorder - defined as insomnia and excessive sleepiness, resulting in functional impairment and is linked to greater risk of depression and anxiety. These workers were four times more likely to be depressed. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the findings show that the impact of shift work and NHS short-staffing “poses a risk to patient safety”. The study published in the British Medical Journal polled staff who worked non-standard hours, which was considered either starting before 7am or working after 6pm. To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror just click on the link here to find them at the top of your feed. Experts say the nation’s carers who keep us well around the clock should be screened for shift work disorder and given specialist support. Professor Lynn Woolsey, RCN chief nursing officer, said: "These findings are shocking but not surprising. Shift work in the NHS is physically, intellectually and emotionally draining, but it’s made far worse due to workforce shortages and increasing levels of patient demand. “The impact is clear to see, with nursing staff being left ill from stress, unable to sleep and struggling with their mental health. This is a workplace hazard that must be managed properly as it also poses a risk to patient safety.” Many NHS clinicians do shift work, particularly those based in hospitals. Long shifts such as 12 hours have become increasingly common. Seven out of ten inpatient nursing staff work shift patterns including a mix of day, night and weekend shifts. The new study, published in BMJ Open, used a screening tool called the Shift Work Disorder Index and found 71% met the criteria for the condition. These staff were four times more likely to be depressed and three times more likely to have probable anxiety. Some 88% of the NHS staff surveyed reported insomnia and sleepiness, while 75% agreed that they experienced both “psychological distress” and functional impairment as a result of their shift patterns. Nathan Holman, national officer at the GMB union, said: “NHS workers do vital work to keep us healthy. But this is sometimes to the detriment of their own wellbeing. “We can’t understand the high rates of burn out, retention and ill-health retirement among NHS staff without looking at the long-term impacts of shift working. Britain’s latest Labour Force Survey found 27% of the working population - 8.7 million people - are nighttime workers. Study author Dr Priya Sugavanam, sleep specialist at Oxford University, said the “findings may be generalisable to other sectors that employ shift workers” and said there was a “pressing need to support shift workers”. She said: “Sleep problems are common among shift-working populations, and at the more severe end this is classified as shift work sleep disorder. “Participants reported using several strategies such as caffeine and naps to manage their sleep difficulties, although these were perceived as only mildly effective. Professional help was very rarely sought.” Researchers said staff with shift work disorder could be supported by adapting rotas, helping them with sleep hygiene - such as not using screens just before bed - and in some cases sleeping pills could be prescribed. Prof Woolsey added: "Employers must ease the burden on staff through measures like safer rota design, ensuring staff get the breaks they need and proper recovery time between shifts. “Nursing staff need access to occupational health support, and for managers to get the training on how to recognise and respond to fatigue-risks. At government level, investment in nursing to ease workforce pressures and deliver safe staffing levels and improved retention is essential.” What the NHS says about insomnia The NHS says a few sleepless nights are usually nothing to worry about, but it can become an issue if a lack of sleep starts to affect your daily life. Recommended measures to improve sleep include the following: - Avoid caffeine or a big meal late in the evening - Try not to use phones, tablets or computers for an hour before bed as blue light from these screens can make it harder to fall asleep - Talking to someone you trust or writing down your worries can help you manage them Current NHS guidelines are for GPs to treat people with insomnia through managing issues such as anxiety, short-term courses of sleeping pills and CBT counselling for more severe cases. Click HERE to access NHS support for sleeping problems.