The UK Healthcare Workforce Event 2025: Recruitment, Retention and Wellbeing

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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.

Agenda

  • Online Registration

  • Chair’s Opening Remarks

     

  • Keynote: Updates from the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan: Retaining Staff in Healthcare

    • Updates on national approaches to recruiting, training and retaining staff across the healthcare sector
    • Strategies for implementing a positive, supportive and compassionate work culture to boost staff retention
    • Advice for line managers on prioritising workplace experience and wellbeing among healthcare staff
    • Frameworks on inclusivity and emotional wellbeing: setting out a clear direction for improving how people are managed in healthcare trusts

    Em Wilkinson-Brice, National Director for People, NHS England (invited)

  • Keynote: Developing Wrap-Around Staff Wellbeing Support Systems: Turning Policy into Practice

    • Strategies for implementing the ‘Growing your team health and wellbeing guide’
    • Tactics for identifying your team’s wellbeing goals and constructing an appropriate plan of improvement
    • Developing collaborative and supportive relationships that promote social well-being in the workplace
    • Creating a safe and inclusive environment that breaks the taboo around staff mental health

     

  • Key Supporter Session

  • Questions and Answers

  • Comfort Break

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

    • Providing virgin nursing students exposure to a range of medical settings allowing them to better determine future career progression and opportunities
    • Key insights into supporting newly qualified doctors in applying for roles, preparing g for interviews and navigating the recruitment process
    • Tools and resources for equipping newly qualified staff with the necessary skills for successful integration and retention
    • Creating tailored pathways for career progression for students and newly qualified staff according to individual needs
    • Implementing routine check-ins with line managers to ensure new staff feel supported and do not become overwhelmed

    Jessica Partington, Head of System Workforce Transformation, North Central London – Integrated Care (invited)

  • Case study: Optimising Workforce Planning Through Discrepancy Resolution and Comprehensive Project Implementation

    • Ensuring proactive software transition to address and identify all discrepancies between demand and capacity to avoid service disruptions
    • Utilising independent external evaluations such as independent reviews to gain objective and comprehensive insights into workforce dynamics and planning needs
    • Implementing strategic planning and costing through evaluation findings, including cost analyses to facilitate the adoption of strategic recommendations
    • Implementing a well-defined project plan with specific milestones, identified risks, and clear deliverables to guide the evaluation and implementation of new processes

    Rachel Goldsworthy, Chief of Staff, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (invited)

  • Case study: Redesign Staffing Models, Workforce Roles and Training to Support the Delivery of Virtual Care

    • Promoting diversity and inclusion in the workforce to ensure that virtual care services are accessible and culturally competent for all patients
    • Conducting thorough assessments of current staffing capabilities to identify gaps in skills and training needed for virtual care delivery
    • Involving key stakeholders including clinicians, in the development and implementation of new workforce models
    • Employing mechanisms for ongoing evaluation and feedback to continuously improve staffing models and virtual care delivery processes

    Faeem Lal, Interim Director of Human Resources, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (invited)

  • Questions and Answers

  • Lunch Break

  • Keynote:  Boosting Retention Strategies to Deliver a Sustainable Workforce Fit for the Long-Term

    • Implementing a retention-focused strategy to attract and retain an NHS workforce that is diverse and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills
    • Guidance on creating a welcoming environment for international recruits to combat the declining domestic workforce and plug skills gaps
    • Tackling burnout: ensuring support to enable staff to deliver high-quality care without compromising their wellbeing
    • Creating opportunities for career advancement and professional development to encourage staff retention

    Professor Nicola Ranger, Chief Nurse, Royal College of Nursing (invited)

  • 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

     

  • Key Supporter Session

  • 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: Best Practice Approaches for Tackling Fatigue Among Healthcare Professionals

    • Key insights into rolling out an action plan centred on tackling fatigue among the workforce
    • Examples of implementing successful changes to work practices to reduce fatigue and stress in the workplace
    • Strategies for incorporating staff opinion when creating programmes to improve workforce wellbeing
    • Tools and resources to make healthcare staff aware of the link between fatigue and workplace wellbeing and help them manage it

    Nancy Redfern, Consultant Anaesthetist, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust & Co-chair of Joint Fatigue Working Group (invited)

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

    • Establishing a strategic retention and engagement group to reduce staff turnover within healthcare trusts
    • Techniques and strategies for identifying patterns, themes and areas for future improvement
    • Best practice advice on rolling out a trust talent management framework to better understand staff wants and needs
    • Insights into collaborating with local teams to understand staff concerns and desired workplace improvements

    Lily Anstey, Deputy Chief People Officer, University Hospitals Birmingham (invited)

  • Questions and Answers

  • Chair’s Closing Remarks

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.

BOOK NOW

Sponsorship

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