Mental distress makes nurses more likely to quit NHS, report shows
Short periods of sickness absence are also linked to much higher leaving rates, says report on factors affecting retention of hospital nurses in acute sector
Hospital nurses who have been off sick due to mental distress – even for a short time – are significantly more likely to leave the NHS, according to a new report.
The report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), which explores factors affecting the retention of nurses and other healthcare staff in the acute sector, found health and well-being was key.
IFS researchers analysed electronic staff records for NHS hospital trusts across England in an attempt to find out why nurses and other key staff groups leave.
They found that a nurse or midwife who missed three days of work for mental health reasons was 27% more likely to leave three months later compared with a colleague with no absences. There was also a strong link between physical health problems and nurses and midwives deciding to move on.
Policies aimed at reducing sickness absence must address underlying health of workforce
The findings suggest even relatively short periods of sickness absence are linked to much higher leaving rates – especially in relation to mental health. The researchers said this is either because nurses with poor health are more likely go off sick and leave the NHS or because taking sick leave may be part of the process of leaving for other reasons.
The report says: ‘If people with poor mental or physical health are more likely to leave because of their condition, policies that are aimed at reducing sickness absence without addressing the underlying health of the workforce are likely to be ineffective.’
North Bristol NHS Trust chief nursing officer Steve Hams said caring for nurses’ physical and mental health had become ever more important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘The acute sector remains incredibly challenged. Nurses and midwives, alongside the entire multi-professional team, are working hard in challenging circumstances to deliver care for patients,’ professor Hams told Nursing Standard.
Band 5 nurses 43% more likely to leave acute sector in a given month than those in Band 6 or above
‘Having experienced mental health issues myself, I am all too aware of the importance of providing work-based responsive access to well-being services, which most organisations are now providing.
‘Retaining and looking after our nurses and midwives is my top priority, especially in the context of increasing turnover and vacancies.’
The analysis found other key factors influencing retention included a nurse’s experience and how long they had been in a job. Band 5 nurses were 43% more likely to leave the acute sector in any given month than nurses at Band 6 or above.
Nurses and healthcare assistants who had been in their role for two years or less were more likely to leave than those in the job for longer.
Find out more
Institute for Fiscal Studies (2022) Factors associated with staff retention in the NHS acute sector
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