Workforce Voices Learning Event

Over the past year, the Workforce Voices team has been speaking with colleagues across health and care services, academics, researchers, and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) partners. These conversations have helped surface where pressures are being felt and what kinds of changes might be most helpful in practice. The learning event was a chance to bring that together, share what has been heard so far, and invite wider discussion on ideas that are beginning to take shape.

There was strong interest in the event, with bookings from people working across a wide range of sectors and roles. Attendees included clinical and non‑clinical NHS staff, Integrated Care Boards, local authorities, voluntary and community sector organisations, researchers and patient and public involvement partners.

The afternoon opened with a welcome from Professor Gill Vance, Workforce Voices Co-Lead, followed by a keynote from Dr Martin Weatherhead, reflecting on the role of workforce research within a changing healthcare system. Four parallel workshops were run across two sessions, with the focus of these sessions on improving primary/secondary care communication, workforce opportunities in neighbourhood health, workforce research with underheard staff, and education and training in the context of the 10‑Year Health Plan.

Workshop discussions explored how workforce research can support staff experience, improve system working and address practical challenges faced across different settings. The day concluded with a panel discussion on how workforce research can meaningfully benefit staff in practice.

Throughout the event, participants shared reflections on pressures faced in day‑to‑day work, the importance of involving staff early in research design, and the need for research outputs that are usable and relevant in practice.

During the day, visual minutes were produced to capture discussion, questions and audience contributions as they happened. These included one visual to capture themes from the day as a whole, alongside a separate visual that captured thoughts on the four parallel sessions hosted.

The discussions from the day reflect shared concerns about current pressures across health and care services, as well as a strong interest in research that connects to practice. Feedback and learning from the event will be used to refine proposed projects and inform the next phase of Workforce Voices work.