Thousands of agency workers set to leave NHS and care roles, poll suggests

Thousands of agency staff could leave the NHS and social care services in the next two years, new research has suggested.

More than 20,000 agency staff work across health and social care in the UK – but now a poll of 10,000 workers has revealed that nearly one in five could leave their job by 2026.

In the poll, carried out by consultancy Acacium Group, 24% of those surveyed reported feeling overstretched at work.

Key reasons for agency workers wanting to leave the NHS and social care included concerns over poor working conditions leading to staff burnout, and a lack of support from managers.

Olivia Swain, 29, who has worked as an agency paediatric nurse in the North East since 2019 after moving from a permanent NHS role, told researchers: “While I love my job, the transition into a flexible role has its challenges. You have to learn to adapt quickly. Sometimes I don’t have a login or password for computer systems or swipe access cards, which can be incredibly obstructive and puts undue pressure on colleagues.

“This can be a particular issue if I need quick access to patient records or to complete a referral.”

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Source: The Independent, 23 June 2024