Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 30 Jul 2020 Closed: 22 Feb 2022 Parliament page
This inquiry will focus on workforce burnout and resilience across the NHS and social care. It will look at: burnout, resilience and stress levels before and during the covid-19 pandemic the impact of workforce burnout on service delivery, staff, patients and service users workforce planning and projections the measures set … Read more
17 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
2 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
17 Feb
2022
Report published
8 Jun
2021
Report published
16 Mar
2021
Correspondence
24 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
24 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
12 Jan
2021
Oral evidence
12 Jan
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
17 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
17 Nov
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
22 Oct
2020
Correspondence
20 Oct
2020
Oral evidence
20 Oct
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
24 Feb 2021
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Anita Charlesworth · Health Foundation Helen Whately MP · Department of Health and Social Care Oonagh Smyth · Skills for Care Prerana Issar · NHS England and NHS Improvement Rob Smith · Health Education England
12 Jan 2021
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Chris Hopson · NHS England Dr Henrietta Hughes, National Guardian Helené Donnelly OBE · Midlands Partnership NHS Lord Victor Adebowale · NHS Confederation Professor Jeremy Dawson · Sheffield University Shilpa Ross · The King's Fund Tricia Pereira · London Borough of Merton
17 Nov 2020
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Denise Crouch, Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse Dr Adrian James · The Royal College of Psychiatrists Dr Chaand Nagpaul · Council of the British Medical Association Paul Farmer · Mind - on behalf of Our Frontline Professor Dame Clare Gerada · NHS Practitioner Health Vic Rayner · National Care Forum
20 Oct 2020
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Bernie Miller · Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Caroline Waterfield · NHS Employers Claire Murdoch · NHS England Jo Da Silva · Agincare Prerana Issar · NHS England and NHS Improvement Professor Martin Green · Care England Professor Michael West · The King's Fund
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and … HC 22 8 Jun 2021 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
33 results
1 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
Burnout is a widespread reality in today’s NHS and has negative consequences for the mental...
Burnout is a widespread reality in today’s NHS and has negative consequences for the mental health of individual staff, impacting on their colleagues and the patients and service users they care for. There are many causes of burnout, but chronic … Read more
Government Response
2.1 Recommendation 1 and 2 have been grouped together for an overarching response to the committee. 2.2 The government agrees with the committee that monitoring staff wellbeing is essential both … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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2 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
Understanding the scale and impact of workforce burnout can only be achieved with a metric...
Understanding the scale and impact of workforce burnout can only be achieved with a metric for staff wellbeing and staff mental health that covers both the NHS and social care. We therefore recommend that the Department for Health and Social … Read more
Government Response
2.2 The government agrees with the committee that monitoring staff wellbeing is essential both to better understand the various factors that impact upon wellbeing and to take action to drive … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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3 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We further recommend that the NHS Staff Survey and any social care equivalent includes an...
We further recommend that the NHS Staff Survey and any social care equivalent includes an overall staff wellbeing measure, so that employers and national bodies can better understand staff wellbeing and take action based on that understanding. The Staff Survey … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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4 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We welcome the additional support provided to health and care staff during the pandemic.
We welcome the additional support provided to health and care staff during the pandemic. However, we conclude that such additional support will need to be maintained during the recovery period and beyond to stop further staff from leaving. Furthermore simply … Read more
Government Response
Recommendation 3 and 4 have been grouped together for an overarching response to the committee. NHS and social care staff have undoubtedly been through a very challenging period and they … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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5 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) be required to facilitate access to wellbeing support...
We recommend that Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) be required to facilitate access to wellbeing support for NHS and social care workers across their systems, and that they are accountable for the accessibility and take-up of those services.
Department of Health and Social Care
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6 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We further recommend that the level of resources allocated to mental health support for health...
We further recommend that the level of resources allocated to mental health support for health and care staff be maintained as and when the NHS and social care return to ‘business as usual’ after the pandemic; and that the adequacy … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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7 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
It is imperative staff have the opportunity and the confidence to speak up.
It is imperative staff have the opportunity and the confidence to speak up. However, this needs to be matched with a culture in which organisations demonstrate that they are not just listening to, but also acting on, staff feedback. While … Read more
Government Response
3.1 We recognise the importance of encouraging a positive culture where people are empowered to speak up and where they feel that their voices will be heard, and ideas acted … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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8 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
Improvements to workplace culture have been made, but equally, there is more work to be...
Improvements to workplace culture have been made, but equally, there is more work to be done. Embedding and facilitating cultures which support compassionate leadership must be at the heart of that work. There is a strong appetite for that leadership … Read more
Government Response
3.2 As a Government, we recognise that leaders and senior managers are central to creating a supportive, healthy and compassionate workplace culture. The NHS People Plan recognises that the most … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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9 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that NHS England undertake a review of the role of targets across the...
We recommend that NHS England undertake a review of the role of targets across the NHS which seeks to balance the operational grip they undoubtedly deliver to senior managers against the risks of inadvertently creating a culture which deprioritises care … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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10 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We further recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care work with stakeholders to...
We further recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care work with stakeholders to develop staff wellbeing indicators, on which NHS bodies can be judged.
Department of Health and Social Care
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11 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
The Committee welcomes the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), along with the People Plan, as...
The Committee welcomes the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), along with the People Plan, as an important step towards an NHS which offers equal opportunities to all its staff. We were pleased to hear in our oral evidence session that … Read more
Government Response
The Government agrees that Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) data should be included in the ‘balanced basket of indicators’ for Integrated Care Systems. Our … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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12 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We therefore recommend that WRES data be made part of the ‘balanced basket of indicators’...
We therefore recommend that WRES data be made part of the ‘balanced basket of indicators’ we suggest for Integrated Care Systems, with the result that they become accountable for progress across their domains. As part of this process, organisations should … Read more
Government Response
3.11 The Government agrees that Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) data should be included in the ‘balanced basket of indicators’ for Integrated Care Systems. … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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13 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We heard that colleagues from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds across the NHS and...
We heard that colleagues from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds across the NHS and social care continue to face additional challenges. As stated above, we welcome the commitments of the People Plan to a truly inclusive workforce, and the … Read more
Government Response
3.18 Recommendations 9 and 16 have been grouped together for an overarching response to the committee. 3.19 The social care workforce is critical to enabling the highest standards of care … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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14 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that adult social care have its own People Plan, which includes parallel commitments...
We recommend that adult social care have its own People Plan, which includes parallel commitments to those for the NHS on diversity and inclusion.
Department of Health and Social Care
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15 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
Staff from overseas play a key role in enabling the NHS and social care to...
Staff from overseas play a key role in enabling the NHS and social care to function. Whatever role overseas staff will play in the long-term, they are essential to the health and social care system in the short-term and medium-long … Read more
Government Response
3.22 We hugely value the contribution of international staff from across the world who provide excellent care. International recruitment has long been part of the NHS workforce strategy. The NHS … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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16 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that the Department develops an NHS and social care national policy framework around...
We recommend that the Department develops an NHS and social care national policy framework around migration to support national and local workforce planning and identify the balance between domestic and international recruitment in the short, medium and long-term. (Paragraph 91) … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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17 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
Covid-19 has exacerbated existing problems with staff welfare, but also brought some benefits, including higher...
Covid-19 has exacerbated existing problems with staff welfare, but also brought some benefits, including higher levels of recognition and different ways of working. While enhanced recognition of the work of health and care staff is welcome, adequate and holistic support … Read more
Government Response
4.1 We recognise the impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have over the longer term and are committed to monitoring its effect on the workforce to ensure we respond to any … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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18 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that national bodies must continue to monitor the impact of covid-19 on the...
We recommend that national bodies must continue to monitor the impact of covid-19 on the NHS and adult social care workforce and ensure that workforce planning builds in time for recovery after the pandemic is over.
Department of Health and Social Care
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19 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care, the national bodies, and individual...
We recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care, the national bodies, and individual organisations across the NHS and social care commit to capturing and disseminating the innovations—in particular giving greater levels of autonomy to staff and new forms … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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20 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
It is clear from the evidence collected by Government, the NHS and other organisations that...
It is clear from the evidence collected by Government, the NHS and other organisations that staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic in a way that has shone a light on deeply … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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21 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We further recommend that Integrated Care Systems have a duty to report on progress made...
We further recommend that Integrated Care Systems have a duty to report on progress made against those recommendations made to improve the support for their staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. (Paragraph 134) Workforce planning
Department of Health and Social Care
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22 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
It is clear from our witnesses that although the People Plan presents comprehensive ambition to...
It is clear from our witnesses that although the People Plan presents comprehensive ambition to address the failings in the culture of the NHS, and address the needs and wellbeing of NHS staff, its delivery will depend on the level … Read more
Government Response
5.1 Delivery of the People Plan is overseen by NHSEI’s People Plan Delivery Board (PPDB) which brings together national People Plan leads, DHSC representatives, Regional People Board Chairs, system, trust … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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23 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend that the Department published regular, costed updates along with delivery timelines for all...
We recommend that the Department published regular, costed updates along with delivery timelines for all of the proposals in the People Plan.
Department of Health and Social Care
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24 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
The absence of a People Plan for social care serves only to widen the disparity...
The absence of a People Plan for social care serves only to widen the disparity in recognition and support for the social care components of health and social care. The Government should rectify this as a matter of urgency in … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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25 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We therefore recommend that, as a priority, the Department produces a People Plan for social...
We therefore recommend that, as a priority, the Department produces a People Plan for social care that is aligned to the ambitions set out in the NHS People Plan.
Government Response
The social care workforce is critical to enabling the highest standards of care and support. We are listening to and engaging with frontline staff, sector leaders and our partners about … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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26 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We have made recommendations to the Department on the reform and funding of social care...
We have made recommendations to the Department on the reform and funding of social care in previous Reports. We believe that they are worth restating. Those recommendations are as follow:
Government Response
The social care workforce is critical to enabling the highest standards of care and support. We have listened to and engaged with frontline staff, sector leaders and our partners about … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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27 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
(a) Alongside […] a long term funding settlement we strongly believe the Government should publish...
(a) Alongside […] a long term funding settlement we strongly believe the Government should publish a 10 year plan for the social care sector as it has done for the NHS. The two systems are increasingly linked and it makes … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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28 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
(b) The social care sector needs reassurance that both the structural and financial problems it...
(b) The social care sector needs reassurance that both the structural and financial problems it faces will be tackled by the Government in a timely way. For that reason, we recommend that a duty is included in the Bill for … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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29 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
The emergency that workforce burnout has become will not be solved without a total overhaul...
The emergency that workforce burnout has become will not be solved without a total overhaul of the way the NHS does workforce planning. After the pandemic, which revealed so many critical staff shortages, the least we can do for staff … Read more
Government Response
5.9 The Committee recommended HEE publish independent annual reports on workforce shortages and future staffing requirements that cover the next five, ten and twenty years, and that these projections should … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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30 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
The way that the NHS does workforce planning is at best opaque and at worst...
The way that the NHS does workforce planning is at best opaque and at worst responsible for the unacceptable pressure on the current workforce which existed even before the pandemic. (Paragraph 183) 58 Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS … Read more
Government Response
5.9 The Committee recommended HEE publish independent annual reports on workforce shortages and future staffing requirements that cover the next five, ten and twenty years, and that these projections should … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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31 Conclusion
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
It is clear that workforce planning has been led by the funding envelope available to...
It is clear that workforce planning has been led by the funding envelope available to health and social care rather than by demand and the capacity required to service that demand. Furthermore, there is no accurate, public projection of what … Read more
Government Response
5.9 The Committee recommended HEE publish independent annual reports on workforce shortages and future staffing requirements that cover the next five, ten and twenty years, and that these projections should … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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32 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We recommend again, that Health Education England publish objective, transparent and independently-audited annual reports on...
We recommend again, that Health Education England publish objective, transparent and independently-audited annual reports on workforce projections that cover the next five, ten and twenty years including an assessment of whether sufficient numbers are being trained. We further recommend that … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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33 Recommendation
Second Report - Workforce burnout …
We further recommend that those projections: • Are informed by the future shape of services...
We further recommend that those projections: • Are informed by the future shape of services and anticipated demand. • Take into account the labour market as a whole. • Make clear the opportunity cost of not training, employing and retaining … Read more
Department of Health and Social Care
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Correspondence 2 letters
16 Mar 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Care on improving accountability across adult social care
Parliament page
22 Oct 2020 From committee Letter to the Chief People Officer on Workforce projections
Parliament page