Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS staff are not overstretched and are able to take sufficient rest breaks during their working hours in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department is committed to ensuring that National Health Service staff in Surrey Heath, and across the country more widely, are able to take sufficient rest breaks during their working hours in compliance with the Working Time Regulations 1998. The NHS staff terms and conditions of service set out clear entitlements for staff rest breaks with provisions stating that any member of staff working a shift of more than six hours is entitled to have a minimum of one 20-minute rest break, and for this break to be uninterrupted. Where possible, local policies may provide for longer or additional breaks, and employers are encouraged to support flexible working arrangements to enable staff to take appropriate rest and manage workload pressures.

Employers are responsible for ensuring rotas and staffing levels take account of statutory and contractual break entitlements, and that staff are able to take these breaks safely and without detriment to patient care. The Department continues to work with NHS organisations to promote staff wellbeing, recognising that adequate rest is essential for both effective patient care and staff health.