Retention

The NHS People Plan sets out a key ambition to have more people, working differently in a compassionate and inclusive culture in the NHS. Retaining staff is one of the most important factors in ensuring the NHS can deliver quality patient care in the forthcoming years.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan also places a key focus on retention, setting out how the service will address workforce challenges by recruiting and retaining more staff and improving the experience of both staff and patients.

Leaders and line managers have a vital role to play in this retention challenge, with a responsibility to ensure both new and existing staff are supported and encouraged to remain and thrive in the NHS.

Key resources

A diverse group of healthcare professionals in a meeting.

Infographic

Drivers for retention in the NHS

A downloadable infographic highlighting eight key drivers to help employers achieve impact on staff retention.

28 March 2024

Guide

International Retention Toolkit

Actions employers can take to ensure internationally recruited staff will want to stay, thrive and build lasting careers in the NHS.

21 August 2024

Handbook

Improving staff retention

This guide supports line managers and employers to consider the key areas that affect workforce retention.

2 March 2022

A midwife checking their patient during a hospital appointment.

Guide

Improving the retention of registered nurses and midwives

This toolkit enables organisations to undertake a self-assessment against the seven elements of the NHS People Promise.

5 October 2022

Staff experience, retention and attraction

Article

Staff Experience in the NHS - leading the routes to retention

Hear more about what was discussed at our Staff Experience in the NHS conference 2023 around the key theme of improving staff retention.

5 December 2023

Infographic

Retention: learning into actions

Visual imagery summarising the discussions and learning from our Staff Experience in the NHS conference 2023 which focused on routes to retention.

5 December 2023

A diverse group of nurses walking down a corridor.

Infographic

Retention and attraction: a visual model

This downloadable infographic highlights the key ways that advocating a positive experience for staff supports retention and attraction in the NHS.

5 December 2023

Briefing

Retention in the NHS: employer briefing

Guidance highlighting some of the key actions employers can take to improve staff retention.

5 December 2023

Guidance

Retention in the NHS: board pack

This PowerPoint slide pack provides key facts, employer responses and resources for leaders to support strategic planning to retain the NHS workforce.

5 December 2023