NHS workers who suffer from poor mental health, are over 50 or are from a minority ethnic background are more likely to be considering leaving the health service, according to a study published in the Lancet.
The UK-REACH I-CARE study, carried out by researchers from the National Institute for Health and Care Research , the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University College London and the University of Glasgow looked at factors driving people to leave the NHS.
Looking at responses from almost 3,300 NHS workers, they found that nearly half of the sample had considered or had already taken steps towards leaving healthcare.
NHS staffing issues
Those most likely to report intending to leave were aged between 50 and 60, Asian, and working in dental and nursing roles. There was also a clear association between poor mental health and wanting to leave.
The report concluded: “The profound association between poor mental health and intending to leave the NHS workforce suggests that effective mental health treatment for staff may improve retention alongside their health.
“Our results also suggest that fostering higher workplace engagement via supportive and collaborative environments and opportunities for personal development, as well as organisational changes to minimise burnout, could increase retention.”
One of the lead researchers, Professor Manish Pareek from the University of Leicester, added: “What is most concerning is that nearly half of healthcare workers we surveyed had considered or taken steps towards leaving healthcare.
“Sadly, we also found that discrimination and harassment by colleagues and patients were associated with planning to leave.”
Policies that tackle discrimination would help to address inequity and also improve retention, the researchers suggested.
Staff who felt undervalued by the government were also more likely to have considered acting upon leaving. Recent numbers from the Royal College of Nursing show that the number of nursing staff leaving within their first five years has increased by 67%.
Professor of Medical Education Research at UCL Medical School, Katherine Woolf, added: “Good patient care relies on having a healthcare service that is properly staffed, and the NHS is the largest and most diverse employer in the UK.
“Our findings from I-CARE so far suggest that the NHS needs to implement policies that more effectively tackle workforce discrimination and provide more effective mental health support.
“Supportive and collaborative environments and opportunities for personal development could all also have a positive impact.”
In October, health secretary Wes Streeting launched a new online platform, change.nhs.uk, asking for the views of the public, clinicians and other health service experts on how to improve how the NHS works.
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