The UK Health & Social Care Workforce Event 2025: Recruitment, Retention and Wellbeing

Online

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Overview

In June 2023, the NHS released the Long-Term Workforce Plan to address workforce challenges like recruitment and retention issues and declining staff mental health. Strengthening the NHS workforce is vital for maintaining quality patient care. Implementing this plan through shared best practices can create a more resilient and supported workforce.

Key issues highlighted include:

  • Over 40,000 NHS nurse vacancies in England (Royal College of Nursing, 2023)
  • 32.3% of staff considering leaving their organization (NHS Staff Survey, 2022)
  • Only 56.5% feel their organization takes positive action on health and wellbeing (NHS Staff Survey, 2022).

Attend The UK Healthcare Workforce Event 2025 to learn from experts about retaining and improving the NHS workforce

  • High-level keynotes will provide insights into the latest national updates from the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and Developing Wrap-Around Staff Wellbeing Support Systems
  • The event covers best practices case studies in recruitment, retention, mental health support, and inclusion and diversity.
  • Network with senior colleagues, discuss shared challenges and learn practical strategies for workforce improvement through keynote speeches and interactive sessions.

Get in Touch

Agenda

  • Online Registration

  • Chair’s Opening Remarks

    Dr Emily Wood, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield (CONFIRMED)

    University of Sheffield logo

  • Keynote: Improving Staff Retention in Healthcare Through Data and Feedback-Driven Strategies

    • Addressing reasons for variation in retention rate across different NHS Trusts
    • Techniques and strategies for identifying patterns, themes and areas for future improvement
    • Best practice examples of trusts implementing strategies to address retention
    • Establishing links between staff experience, retention and patient care

    Dr Emily Wood, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield (CONFIRMED)

     

  • Keynote: Improving Wellbeing and Flourishing in Medical Education 

    • Resilience – a neoliberal concept
    • What is human flourishing?
    • How might we create flourishing spaces

    Dr Louise Younie,  Professor of Medical Education, Queen Mary University of London (CONFIRMED)

    Academic English Online – A self-access resource for students in higher education.

     

  • Questions and Answers

  • Comfort Break

  • Case study: Preparing Healthcare Students and New Recruits for a Successful and Fulfilling Career

    • Tools and resources for equipping newly qualified staff with the necessary skills for successful integration and retention
    • Outlining the benefits of partnership working to implement robust well-being plans that lead to increased longevity in the healthcare industry
    • Creating tailored well-being training to facilitate self management of mental health during employment
    • Outlining strategies for line managers to ensure new staff feel supported and do not become overwhelmed

    Lynn & Andrew Warren, Co-founders, Better:Gen (CONFIRMED)

  • Key Supporter Session: The Cost Of Caring – Overcoming Compassion Fatigue

    • Understanding Compassion Fatigue
    • Impact on employees
    • Strategies for Prevention and Management
    • Creating a Compassionate Environment

    Lucy Carpenter, Compassionate Employers Lead, Hospice UK

  • Questions and Answers

  • Lunch Break

  • Case Study: Widening Opportunities for the Disadvantaged through Apprenticeships in the NHS

    • Hear how working directly with deprived local schools helps build a pipeline of apprentices from these backgrounds
    • Learn how the societal good goes beyond opportunity, with secondary affects such as lessening health inequality
    • Understand how widening opportunities must go well beyond a careers fair, hear actionable strategies for the targeted engagement of students at each stage of their development

    Annette Pollitt, Apprenticeship and Widening Participation Lead, Liverpool University Hospital Foundation Trust (CONFIRMED)

     

  • Case Study: Adopting a Comprehensive Approach to Better Support Internationally Recruited Colleagues

    • Facilitating a pastoral buddy system to offer individualised support by matching internationally recruited staff with colleagues
    • Tips for conducting feedback sessions with international colleagues to learn and embed their perspectives into support initiatives
    • Ideas for signposting information about local amenities, services and cultural events to foster integration into the wider community
    • Celebrating cultural diversity and contributions of internationally educated colleagues through inclusive workshops and events

    Asmina Islam Chowdhury, Programme Development Manager: Race Equality, NHS Providers (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers

  • Breakout Networking: Partnership Working to Improve Overall Workplace Wellbeing Amongst Healthcare Professionals

    This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in creating a more inclusive and dynamic workforce while collaborating with other trusts. We encourage you to share strategies for addressing issues you encounter when initiating and creating wellbeing programmes within your trusts. Take this time to share your experiences and network with senior colleagues.

  • Comfort Break

  • Case Study: Approaches to establishing Fatigue Risk Management Strategies Among Healthcare Professionals

    • Making healthcare staff aware of the link between fatigue, clinical performance and workplace wellbeing and of strategies to manage this
    • Co-designing an action plan to manage fatigue among the workforce
    • Examples of implementing successful changes to work practices to reduce staff fatigue in the workplace

    Nancy Redfern, Consultant Anaesthetist, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CONFIRMED)

  • Building a supportive Environment: The Role of Professional Advocates

    • The role of the Professional Nurse Advocate and how it aims to positively influence organisational culture, by improving nurse retention, reduction in workplace stress, and fostering a more supportive environment.
    • Examples of how Professional Advocates support and empower their colleagues, by providing Restorative Clinical Supervision, conducting career conversations, and leading quality improvement initiatives that seek to enhance working practices and wellbeing.
    • Promoting the momentum of the professional advocate role in achieving the national ratio target of 1 Professional Advocate to 20 nurses by outlining next steps to evaluate its impact on NHS working practices and culture.

    Professor Tania Hart, Professor of Mental Health Nursing and Healthcare Knowledge Exchange, De Montfort University (CONFIRMED)

    De Montfort University logo

  • Questions and Answers

  • Chair’s Closing Remarks

    Dr Emily Wood, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield (CONFIRMED)

    University of Sheffield logo

Speakers

Amy Gouldstone

People Wellbeing Lead

Sherwood Forest Hospital Foundation Trust

I have been in my People Wellbeing Lead role at Sherwood Forest Hospitals (SFH) since January 2022. I started my career as a Dietetic Assistant in Specialist Weight Management, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital back in 2011 after I had completed my degree in Nutrition, Health and Lifestyles. I have moved around the country taking on roles including delivering Weight Management and Stop Smoking services on the Wirral, working on Suicide and Self-harm prevention in Cheshire, delivering a Diabetes Prevention program across the East midlands, progressing the Smokefree and Alcohol Reduction agenda at SFH and Service Transformation in Flu and Mental Health in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. I lead and support a number of Colleague Wellbeing and Welfare projects including Mental Health, Physical Health, Financial Wellbeing and Menopause. This includes training managers and colleagues as well as co-ordinating events and campaigns like the World Menopause Day Event. I am passionate about improving the working lives of colleagues across Health and Social Care. I am a Mum to one precious human being born in lockdown 2020. I love countryside walks, swimming and food.

Caroline Chipperfield

Director of Leadership Development and Delivery

NHS Leadership Academy

Director of Leadership Development and Delivery, NHS Leadership Academy
Caroline has over 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors in change management, people and organisational development. Her strong business background derives from operational roles, generalist human resource management experience and specialist development roles.

Emma Mendes da Costa

Workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Emma Mendes da Costa (she/her) is the Workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – one of the top NHS Trusts in the country for disability inclusion – and founder and Chair of the Southern Disability Support Network, which joins together over 100 NHS disability staff network leads and EDI professionals across the south of England. She has a background in magazine journalism, and specialises in accessible communications development, staff network community-building, reasonable adjustments provision and active allyship. Emma has profound bilateral hearing loss and is a passionate advocate for using her lived experience in her work, speaking openly about her hearing loss, eating disorder recovery, anxiety, and IVF journey. She has written for a number of charities including Scope, RNID and the National Deaf Children’s Society, and is a Trustee for Flourish Mentors, an LGBTQIA+ inclusive mentoring charity for young women in Brighton and Hove.

Joe Smith

Senior Policy Adviser, Workforce, Training and Education

NHS England

Joseph Smith is Head of Policy and Strategy for the Workforce Training and Education Directorate in NHS England. He has worked on a number of large scale transformational strategies for the NHS, including the NHS People Plan and, most recently, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Previous roles have spanned the breadth of health policy, both in NHS England and government. Joseph originally trained as a Pharmacy Technician and worked at the Maudsley Hospital in South London at the start of his career.

Testimonials

Attending the course has highlighted to me the options we in the NHS have to look to better retain our workforce and I have gained better insight into the services, people and resources available to do this today.

CAMHS Liaison NurseSussex Partnership Foundation Trust NHS

Incredibly interesting and thought-provoking with the content perfectly reflecting the challenging times were are navigating. There was lots to take away for me to improve recruitment and retention in our procurement service.

Deputy DirectorNHS Lancashire Procurement Cluster

The event covered a wide range of topics and the speakers were knowledgeable and insightful.

Recruitment Marketing Manager Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust

An informative and insightful event. Interesting case studies prompted some good Q&A.

OD PractitionerCoventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust

Why You Should Attend

  • Learn from high-level keynote speakers: the latest guidance on improving the nursing workforce from industry leaders
  • Gain insights into workforce trends: stay up to date on the most recent developments and emerging trends in the workforce, including EDI policies and international recruitment strategies
  • Learn practical strategies for recruitment and retention: explore effective methods for embedding a robust recruitment and retention strategy
  • Professional development: 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
  • Engage in interactive networking opportunities: participate in interactive sessions and networking opportunities to discuss challenges and collaborate with peers.

GE Insights

Your conference package also includes access to GE Insights, our cross-sector learning resource of case study focused videos, articles, lived experiences and more. Gain unlimited access to our online platform when you purchase your conference ticket.

Who Should Attend

Job Title Examples Organisation Type Examples
Nurse NHS Trusts
HR Director Human Resources
Recruitment Manager Workforce Recruitment
Senior Consultant Community Care
OD Practitioner Healthcare Services
Medical Director Hospices
Ward Manager Social Care Trusts
Head of Workforce Ambulance Services

Pricing Options

PRIVATE SECTOR
£499.00

Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.

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PUBLIC SECTOR
£360.00

Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.

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VOLUNTARY SECTOR
£330.00

Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.

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Sponsorship

Raise your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business

If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE

IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.

Virtual vs F2F

Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:

  • Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
  • Lower sponsorship package costs
  • No travel/accommodation
  • Less time out of the office
  • No stand materials required (lower costs)
  • 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
  • Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
  • Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
  • Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)

To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below: