UWE Bristol launches £5m initiative to address NHS workforce challenges

The University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol has launched a £5m national research partnership to support the wellbeing and sustainability of the NHS and social care workforce in same day and urgent care. 

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), in collaboration with the University of Bristol and nine other institutions, the partnership aims to address staff shortages, high employee sickness rates, and recruitment challenges.

The same day and urgent care (SURGE) workforce research partnership is one of five research partnerships as part of a £24m investment from the NIHR.

The research will cover services such as general practice, ambulance services, and urgent treatment centres across the UK, focusing on improving planning and service provision to meet patient needs and create a better work environment. 

The five-year study will involve consultations with patients, health and social care staff, and NHS managers.

Sarah Voss, professor of emergency care at UWE Bristol, said: “Same day and urgent care is time-critical, high-pressured and unpredictable, making the workforce extremely vulnerable to poor mental and physical health. 

“This impacts on wellbeing, sickness levels, job satisfaction and ultimately performance. 

“Recruitment and retention are among the worst in the NHS, resulting in challenges to the delivery of timely, safe, high-quality and efficient care for patients.”