News / UWE Bristol
UWE Bristol leads major research into NHS staffing and wellbeing
A new national research partnership led by UWE Bristol is set to explore how to enhance wellbeing and sustainability within the NHS and social care same day and urgent care workforce.
Powered by a £5m funding package from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the UWE-led research brings together 13 organisations, including the University of Bristol, University of Bath, University of Lincoln, University of Surrey, and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
Spanning services such as general practice, ambulance services, urgent treatment centres, and Emergency Departments across the UK, the five-year study aims to address staff shortages, high sickness rates, and recruitment challenges, particularly among under-represented groups.
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Researchers will work closely with patients, staff, and NHS managers to identify key workforce issues, evaluate service provision nationwide, and develop evidence-based recommendations to inform policy and practice.
Spanning services such as general practice, ambulance services, urgent treatment centres, and Emergency Departments across the UK, the five-year study aims to address staff shortages, high sickness rates, and recruitment challenges
The ultimate goal is to foster a more effective, diverse, and resilient urgent care workforce.
Potential solutions may include increased use of technology, reimagining how services are structured and delivered and implementing tailored support mechanisms for specific staff groups. The findings are intended to shape policy and support the creation of a healthier, more sustainable workforce.
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (BNSSG ICB) is hosting the grant award and sits on the partnership’s national Study Steering Committee.
Professor Sarah Voss, Emergency Care expert at UWE Bristol and co-lead of the partnership, said: “Same day and urgent care is time-critical, high-pressure and unpredictable, leaving the workforce highly vulnerable to poor mental and physical health.
“This affects wellbeing, sickness rates, job satisfaction and, ultimately, performance. Recruitment and retention are among the most challenging issues in the NHS, undermining the delivery of timely, safe, high-quality care for patients.”
Professor Nicola Walsh, fellow co-lead and expert in Knowledge Mobilisation and Musculoskeletal Health at UWE Bristol, added: “For this vitally important project, we’ll be collaborating with partners across higher education and the NHS to generate impactful, rapidly transferable evidence that will help employers build a stronger, more thriving workforce.”
All photos: UWE Bristol
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