Nearly one in five (18%) flexible health and social care workers – those taking on agency work via a private provider – expect to leave the sector in the next two years. With tens of thousands of flexible staff working within the UK’s health and care sector each week[i], the new data points to growing workforce challenges. Unless addressed, this could lead to poor system performance and patient experience.
The new data is revealed in ‘From insight to impact: Understanding and optimising the flexible health and social care workforce’. This new report is based on insights gathered by strategic workforce partners Acacium Group. This is the first time these insights have been shared – providing a never-before-seen view into the experience of the UK’s health and social care workforce.
In the report, 24% of workers reported feeling overstretched by their workload. Key reasons why some healthcare professionals are considering leaving the sector included concerns about working conditions, and the level of support from management.
Concerns were also raised about access to necessary tools. More than a quarter (27%) of flexible workers were dissatisfied with their ability to access patient records. Nearly one in five (17%) also said they were unhappy with access to vital protective equipment.
Despite some frustrations and challenges, the report also paints a hopeful picture of staff experience. 83% of professionals said they were satisfied with the overall working environment. 65% also reported they were ‘extremely likely’ to remain in the sector for the next two years.
The report also provides crucial insights into why health and social care professionals choose to take on flexible work. Working for a strategic workforce partner can help professionals fit their job around other commitments such as caring responsibilities, with many opting for a schedule that works for them. A third of those surveyed (34%), reported flexibility as the main driver for taking on this type of work. A further 9% reported work-life balance and 8% reported family commitments as the primary reason for adopting flexible work.
The report is based on data collected over the last three years, and from 10,901 flexible professionals. 1,064 respondents took part in the 2024 survey. This includes professionals working across all 42 English Integrated Care Boards, Scottish and Welsh Health Boards, and the independent providers sector. The survey included a range of professions including nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and social care workers.
Mike Barnard, CEO at Acacium Group, said: “The health and social care system depends on flexible workers to deliver essential services. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their permanent colleagues and are sometimes one and the same, with many full-time employees also engaging in flexible work.
“We are proud to release Acacium Group data for the first time. These insights help us to better understand the experience of hardworking professionals. Launching this report allows us to provide our partners with useful information, and work with providers to better support the delivery of efficient and safe patient care. With widespread challenges across the health and social care sector, we must all come together as one. We need to make sure this crucial part of the workforce is fully supported to deliver the care patients need.”
You can read ‘From insight to impact: Understanding and optimising the flexible health and social care workforce’ on Acacium Group’s website here.
[i] Acacium Group deploys 20,000 flexible health and social care staff in the UK each week. “Tens of thousands” includes this figure plus professionals deployed by other organisations.
