NHS retention scheme results in decade-low attrition rate

Staff Retention Schemes have reduced the number of NHS workers leaving to the lowest level in over a decade.

In the year up to September 2024 10.1% of the hospital and community healthcare workers left their jobs, compared with 12.5% in the same period of time last year. This is a decrease of nearly 21,300 employees.

A new analysis of NHS People Promise’s staff retention scheme, published today (4th March), showed that the proportion of leavers was at its lowest level since the pandemic in 2009, when the rate was 9.2%. It is also the second-lowest rate since 2010, with a 10.0% rate.

This decline can be attributed to a two-year program aimed at improving NHS retention. It also aims to reduce sickness absence rates, and increase productivity.

The review found that the retention rate of organisations who participated in the pilot increased by the most, on average, 11.8%. Those organizations with more interventions saw the greatest improvement.

The programme, which is led by NHS England, has been in place since April 2022. It initially supported 23 NHS organizations and now supports an additional 116. This includes mental health and community trusts as well as primary care services and ambulance services. The programme retained approximately 4,500 health care staff.

The report found that e-rostering with flexible working hours and retirement assistance, as well as local staff listening sessions, had the greatest impact on reducing employee leave rates.

The programme’s leader, Professor Em Wilkinson Brice, director of staff experience and leadership at NHS England said: “NHS organizations have done a great deal to improve the workplace for staff in the last couple of years, and it’s wonderful to see the effect, with more than 21,000 less staff leaving the healthcare service in the past year.”

She also said that the NHS had improved its productivity and sickness rates. This meant there were more staff available to provide patients with the care they need sooner.

Wilkinson Brice said: “Our People Promise programme for staff retention shows what is possible when you work with staff to improve their lives.

I’m thrilled that we were able to extend the initiative to an additional 116 organizations so that we could provide a service of the highest quality that is appreciated by staff and patients in the whole country. I would encourage all NHS organisations, to put retention first by making changes which will improve their team’s everyday working experience.

Stephen Kinnock acknowledged that NHS workers have been overworked far too long but said it is great to see initiatives like these keep thousands of them on the job.

He said: “We are aware that there is still much to do to relieve the pressure on staff and fix the NHS. We are turning around the NHS through our Plan for Change. We are boosting productivity, and providing staff with the tools needed to provide the best care for patients.

Caroline Waterfield commented on the new analysis. She said, “It’s great to see that the number of NHS workers is declining and to see how the focus on actions to improve the staff experience has a positive impact on ensuring our talented staff don’t leave.”

Local employers and NHS England, the team that is leading this project, should be proud of their achievements. They were made in difficult circumstances.

NHS England released its annual guidance document for the next financial period, which focuses on providing faster treatment to hundreds of thousands patients. All local NHS organisations will be expected to reduce reliance on temporary workers and achieve a 30% minimum reduction in agency expenditure, which is around PS650million, in order to invest in frontline service.

Waterfield said: “We have heard from employers that the focus, support and resources of the national team has enabled this work to produce positive results. This includes funding for dedicated project managers at the local level.

As the NHS faces tighter financial restrictions, it is even more important to focus on actions that help retain staff.

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