Ideas for Annual PA Survey 2023

[jeremy]

What are your thoughts about what questions we should ask next year in the PA Programme Board Annual PA workforce survey?

[julia]

Here at SDSS we are busily preparing the launch of the 2nd annual PA Workforce Survey in April 2023. We would like to invite comments on which questions should be retained from our 1st Annual PA Workforce Survey in April 2022 and if there is a justification for amendment to these questions and/or to propose any additional questions.

Below are listed the questions used on last year’s survey which we expect will be the broad template of questions we’re proposing for this year’s survey.

Please reply to this post with any thoughts or comments about the wording of these questions, and whether there are any areas that aren’t covered that you feel it would be useful to ask PAs about.

Please note all questions are optional:

1. Over the past year, do you feel your role as a PA is better recognised and valued as part of the workforce? a. Yes b. No c. Don’t Know

2. What do you like most about being a Personal Assistant? Type here, please don’t identify yourself or the person you assist!

3. How much do you agree with these statements? I only want to work for the person or people I assist now. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

4. How much do you agree with these statements? I see myself working as a PA for others in the future. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

5. How much do you agree with these statements? I want to to stop being a PA. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

6. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I have sufficient support to do my job well. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

7. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I am confident my ideas and suggestions are listened to. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

8. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I trust the person I assist and they trust me. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

9. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I feel proud to be a PA. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

10. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I have enough training to do my job well. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

11. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I have job security. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

12. For the last year, how much do you agree with these statements? I love my job. a. Not at all b. Unsure c. A little d. A lot

13. How would you describe your mental health over the past 7 days? a. Very sad face b. Sad face c. Neutral face d. Happy face e. Very happy face

14. If you had problems in your PA role, which of these would you try… a. Talking to your PA employer b. Contacting your Local Authority/ Health and Social Care Partnership c. Contacting the PA Network Scotland d. Getting employee support through ACAS e. Contacting a trade union f. Your Insurance provider (if self employed) g. Something else…
    What else would you try? Type your answer here

15. Who do you provide paid PA support for? a. A child or children aged 15 years and under b. An adult or adults aged 16 years and over c. An adult or adults over the age of 65 years

16. What did you do before becoming a PA? Type your answer here

17. Do you work anywhere else? Please list any non-PA roles you have. Type your answers here

18. How did you find out about your current PA position/s? Type your answer here

19. Where in Scotland do you work right now (tick any regions that apply) 1. Aberdeen City 2. Aberdeenshire 3. Angus 4. Argyll and Bute 5. City of Edinburgh 6. Clackmannanshire 7. Dumfries and Galloway 8. Dundee City 9. East Ayrshire 10. East Dunbartonshire 11. East Lothian 12. East Renfrewshire 13. Falkirk n. Fife 14. Glasgow City 15. Highland 16. Inverclyde 17. Midlothian 18. Moray 19. Na h-Eileanan Siar 20. North Ayrshire 21. North Lanarkshire 22. Orkney Islands 23. Perth and Kinross 24. Renfrewshire 25. Scottish Borders 26. Shetland Islands 27. South Ayrshire 28. South Lanarkshire 29. Stirling 30. West Dunbartonshire 31. West Lothian

These next question are asked if the respondent agrees to progress to Part 2:

20. In your role as a PA are you: (tick any that apply) a. an employee (you get a wage slip)? b. self-employed (you do your own tax and NI)? c. doing work through an agency? d. unpaid for some of the work you do?

21. What type of contract/s do you have? (tick any that apply) a. Permanent b. Fixed Term with end date c. Fixed Term without an end date d. Zero hours e. I don’t have a contract f. I don’t know
    As an employee, what is your average hourly rate of pay? (£ per hour before tax) Type your answer, just the number

22. (only asked if reply self-employed) As a self-employed PA, what do you charge per hour? (£ per hour before tax) Type your answer, just the number

23. How is your role funded? (tick any that apply) a. By the Local Authority (Direct Payment) b. By the Independent Living Fund Scotland c. The person I assist funds my role privately with income from other sources such as earnings d. Privately by the family of the person I assist e. I don’t know f. Other
    Other funding for role. Please describe. Type your answer here

24. How many years have you worked as a PA? a. Less than 12 months b. 12 months or more but less than 2 years c. 2 years or more but less than 5 years d. 5 years or more but less than 10 years e. 10 years or more

25. How many individuals do you assist or support in your role? Please don’t include anyone you provide unpaid support to. Type the number here

26. How many hours do you work on average each week as a PA? please don’t include anyone you might support unpaid. a. 10 hours or less b. 11-20 hours c. 21-30 hours d. 31-40 hours e. 41-50 hours f. Over 50 hours

27. Do you look after, or give any unpaid help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others? This could be because of either long-term physical/ mental ill-health/ disability or problems related to old age. Do not count anything you do as part of your PA role or other paid work. a. Yes b. No

28. How much unpaid work do you do a week? a. 10 hours or less b. 11-20 hours c. 21-30 hours d. 31-40 hours e. 41-50 hours f. Over 50 hours

29. Have you had any training in the last year? (To support you in your role as a PA) a. Yes b. No
    What training in the last year? Tick any that apply. a. A specific induction into your role b. Moving and assisting/handling c. Data protection training d. SSSC Open badges e. First Aid f. Disability Equality/ Awareness training f. Challenging Behaviour/ Positive Behaviour Support g. Communicating Effectively h. Dementia Care i. Epilepsy j. Food Hygiene k. Health & Safety l. Infection Control m. Person Centred Care n. Principles of Care and Confidentiality o. Safe Administration of Medicine/ Medication Support p. Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults q. Safeguarding of Children r. Other

30. Other training in the last year. Please describe. Type your answer here

31. Did you have any training for your PA role before last year? a. Yes b. No

32. What training earlier than last year? Tick any that apply. a. A specific induction into your role b. Moving and assisting/handling c. Data protection training d. SSSC Open badges e. First Aid f. Disability Equality/ Awareness training f. Challenging Behaviour/ Positive Behaviour Support g. Communicating Effectively h. Dementia Care i. Epilepsy j. Food Hygiene k. Health & Safety l. Infection Control m. Person Centred Care n. Principles of Care and Confidentiality o. Safe Administration of Medicine/ Medication Support p. Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults q. Safeguarding of Children r. Other

33. Other training before last year. Please describe. Type your answer here
    How were costs for any training in the last year met? a. My employer funded b. My Health and Social Care Partnership provided c. I funded it myself d. Other

34. Other funding sources for training in the last year. Type your answer here

Next set of questions on protected characteristics are only asked if respondent agrees to progress to Part 3.

35. What best describes you? Tell us about your ethnicity. a. White b. Mixed or multiple ethnic groups c. Asian, Scottish Asian or British Asian d. African, Scottish African or British African e. Caribbean or Black f. Other ethnic group
    (only if choose other): Please choose which. a. Arab, Scottish Arab or British Arab b. Jewish, Scottish Jewish or British Jewish c. Sikh, Scottish Sikh or British Sikh d. Other ethnic group

(only if choose other): Please write in your ethnicity. Type your answer here

36. How old are you or will you be this year? Type just the number here

37. Do you have a health condition or a disability that has lasted or is expected to last 12 months or more that makes it difficult for you to do day-to-day activities? a. Yes b. No

38. Please specify health condition or disability. Tick any that apply. a. Deafness or partial hearing loss b. Blindness or partial sight loss c. Full or partial loss of voice d. Learning disability e. Learning difficulty f. Development disorder g. Facial Disfigurement h. Physical disability i. Mental health condition j. Long-term illness, disease or condition k. Other condition

39. (only asked if select other): Please describe condition. Type your answer here

40. Do you consider yourself to be trans, or have a trans history? a. Yes b. No

41. How do you describe yourself? a. Non binary b. Trans man c. Trans woman d. Other
    Please write in. Type your answer here

42. What is your marital or relationship status? a. Single b. Cohabiting c. Married d. Civil Partnership e. Separated f. Divorced g. Widowed h. Complicated i. Other
    Please describe. Type your answer here

43. Are you currently pregnant or have recently given birth? Yes/ No

44. What is your religion or belief? a. No religion or belief b. Church of Scotland c. Roman Catholic d. Other Christian e. Islam f. Hinduism g. Buddhism h. Sikhism i. Judaism j. Paganism k. Other religion or belief
    Please write your religion. Type your answer here

45. What is your sex registered at birth? a. Male b. Female c. Intersex

46. What is your gender identity? a. Male b. Female c. Non-binary d. Own term
    Please write in your gender identity. Type your answer here

47. What is your sexual orientation? a. Straight/Heterosexual b. Lesbian/ Gay Woman c. Gay Man d. Bisexual e. Other
    Please write in your sexual orientation. Type your answer here

48. Do you have care responsibilities? a. Yes b. No

49. Type of care responsibilities. Select any that apply. a. Child/children (under 18) b. Disabled child/children (under 18) c. Disabled adult (18 and over) d. Older person/people (65 and over) e. Other
    Please write your care responsibilities. Type your answer here

50. Which of the following options describe your situation? Select any that apply. a. At school b. In further/ higher education c. Care experienced/ looked after d. Apprenticeship or other training scheme e. Employed full-time f. Employed part-time g. Self-employed h. Volunteering full-time i. Volunteering part-time j. Lone/Single Parent k. Looking after the home or family l. Unemployed and seeking work m. Armed Forces Veteran n. Retired o. Permanently sick or disabled p. Unable to work due to short-term illness or injury
    Write any other significant aspects to your situation. Type your answer here

Thanks in advance for your comments - Julia and the SDSS team