iMatter Health & Social Care Staff Experience Survey 2025

Overall Experience

The overall experience question remained at 7.0 again this year.

To view this table in its original format please see the PDF.

Almost a quarter of respondents (24%) score their overall experience 9 or 10 out of 10. 10% of respondents rate their experience as 4 or less out of 10.

There is a small increase in the percentage of staff scoring 10 from last year, with a reduction in those scoring 4, but these movements are not enough to affect the overall mean score.

To view this table in its original format please see the PDF.

Overall Experience within Boards

While Overall Experience hasn’t changed from last year for Health and Social Care, there are some notable movements at Board level as shown in the table following.

To view this table in its original format please see the PDF.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has improved by 0.5 this year, reversing some of the decline seen last year. NHS 24 have increased their score again this year and is now at 7.3, considerably above the overall Health and Social Care score.

Reflecting declines in other measures, The State Hospital has declined by 0.4 this year. Feedback from the Board provides explanation of why scores have declined and outlines actions being taken to improve staff experience:

The State Hospital Board Feedback

“This [the decline in scores] may reflect broader cultural and operational challenges, including: Lack of visible action following previous feedback, leading to reduced trust and engagement.

Limited involvement in decision-making, reducing staff perception of their voice being valued.

Operational and staffing pressures, which continue to impact wellbeing and the sense of being supported or heard.

Change fatigue, particularly where initiatives feel top-down or insufficiently embedded.

Leadership capacity, with many managers and leaders under significant pressure, often without the time or space to lead effectively due to persistent resourcing demands.

Development needs, where further support and upskilling would help managers more confidently engage teams, communicate priorities, and foster a culture of listening and empowerment.

We recognise these are not isolated issues and are working to address them through ongoing leadership development, structured engagement, and a culture change programme that is being used to drive meaningful change”

The Geographic Boards have reported no change or only a small movement from last year in the Overall Experience rating. The decline of 0.2 in NHS Western Isles means it is now the lowest score (6.6) of all Geographic Boards. NHS Borders has increased by 0.2 from 2024 to 6.9 and is now 0.4 higher than in 2021. NHS Orkney also improved by 0.2 in 2025 to 6.7 and is now 0.5 higher than in 2021.

Overall Experience within Staff Groupings

While the Overall Experience score has not changed, the NHSScotland staff score has improved by 0.1 and the Local Authority staff score has declined by 0.1. The biggest movements are among Local Authority Strategic Development staff whose score has declined by 0.2 and NHS Medical and Dental that has increased by 0.2.

To view this table in its original format please see the PDF.