Fewer than a third of NHS staff are happy with the amount of money they are paid, new research reveals.

The annual NHS staff survey showed that just 32.7% of health service workers said they are satisfied with their level of pay, a fall of four percentage points from the 2020 survey.

The study, among staff in England, also found that just over half of staff were satisfied with the recognition they get for good work, down by more than five percentage points compared with 2020 and the lowest for five years.

Satisfaction remained lower among staff working in ambulance trusts and higher for those working in mental health and learning disability or community trusts.

Just over a quarter of NHS staff think their organisation has sufficient numbers of staff, the polling indicated.

The NHS 2021 staff survey, completed by almost 650,000 staff in England, found that just 27.2% of staff said there are enough staff at their organisation for them to do their job properly – a decline of more than 11 percentage points since 2021.

The survey comes amid growing anger among unions over the pay of NHS workers.

Unison has warned that unless the Government gives NHS staff an inflation-busting pay rise, health workers are likely to quit to find better paid jobs.

Many are so worried about money, they are struggling to focus on their work as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, the union warned.

Research by the union showed that without a significant wage boost, what is already a workforce crisis in the NHS will worsen as staff seek more lucrative​, less stressful jobs ​on the high street and elsewhere.

A survey carried out by Unison of more than 9,000 health workers in England, found almost half are seriously considering leaving the NHS in the next year. Around one in six (16%) say they are looking for work elsewhere right now.

Of those seriously considering leaving, three fifths are attracted by better pay, while one in five are looking for less-pressured working conditions, said the union.

Rachel Harrison, GMB national officer, said: “NHS workers are facing a cost of living crisis and many are at breaking point, as reflected in the lowest pay satisfaction rates in five years.

“The severe erosion in living standards is reflected in 100,000 NHS vacancies and the difficulties trusts are experiencing when delivering essential services – staff simply do not have any more to give.

“The Government’s suggestion of a 3% increase at less than half inflation rates is simply another real terms cut. It’s time for ministers to think again and offer a real and substantial increase in NHS wages.”

Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton said: “On any measure these figures are alarming. The scale of staff disillusionment and concerns about standards of care should be a huge blue flashing light for the Government.

“A dramatic drop in satisfaction with pay in just a year bears out everything unions have warned. Without an urgent and significant wage rise, NHS staff will simply walk for better pay and less stress elsewhere, which is a disaster for patient care.

“Unhappiness extends across the board. Staff are feeling less valued, their work is increasingly unrecognised and they’re not allowed to progress in their jobs.

“The pandemic backlog in the NHS will take years to fix. If staff are leaving in droves it will take longer, leaving patients in pain and distress and causing the public to lose faith in the NHS even further.

“Waiting lists will only reduce if staff stay in their jobs and people join the health workforce. That requires swift action on pay and an urgent retention package.

“With household bills going through the roof and staff being hit by hospital parking charges, nurses, porters, paramedics, cleaners, healthcare assistants and all other vital employees will be thinking long and hard about their futures in the NHS.

“The Government must ensure they stay by showing they’re valued.”

Royal College of Nursing director for England, Patricia Marquis, said: “Nursing staff have sent a clear message they’re exhausted and that staff shortages are undermining their efforts to give safe and effective care.

“More than half who responded said they feel burned out at the end of their working day and four out of five feel there aren’t enough staff in their organisation for them to do their job properly.

“This is a stark reminder of the impact of tens of thousands of nursing vacancies. Today MPs can support a new law in the Commons which would require ministers to publish an assessment of how many nursing staff are needed to provide safe patient care.

“The Government wants MPs to vote against these plans – we urge them to defy ministers and seize this vital opportunity.”

Em Wilkinson-Brice, acting chief people officer for NHS England, said: “The NHS is nothing without the commitment and dedication of its staff and that has never been clearer than over the last two years as they have cared for over 660,000 Covid patients, rolled out the world-leading NHS Covid vaccination programme, all while dealing with record levels of pressure in other parts of the health service.

“Yet staff have stepped up and looked after one another in the face of these pressures, with more people benefitting from extra support from their trust and line manager than in previous years.

“But we know the last two years will have had a knock-on effect on NHS staff, which is why we have maintained our focus on health and wellbeing as set out in our People Plan, including a 24/7 text support line, greater options of flexible working and rapid access to mental health services when needed.”