Improved pay for NHS staff is important to prevent high numbers leaving the service, according to new data from the University of Leicester and University College London.
A national survey, published today in Lancet Regional Health Europe has revealed that almost half of the 10,542 NHS workers surveyed between late 2024 and early 2025 were dissatisfied with their pay and over a quarter were considering leaving.
The research study, I-CARE, funded by the NIHR as part of the national UK-REACH study, was jointly led by the University of Leicester and University College London (UCL) and comes amid an ongoing row over resident doctors’ pay.
When asked, as part of the survey, what would be the most effective way to encourage staff to stay, almost two thirds said ‘improving pay’.
The survey also showed that those most dissatisfied with pay were newly qualified resident doctors and dentists, with over half (52%) intending to leave the NHS, compared to under half (45%) of senior doctors and a third of healthcare workers in other roles.
With talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Government continuing over the summer following resident doctor strikes over pay, the survey suggests many NHS staff feel undervalued.
Co-lead researcher, Professor Manish Pareek, from the University of Leicester’s Division of Public Health and Epidemiology and Development Centre for Population Health, said: “It’s clear from these results that NHS staff and in particular resident doctors feel deeply undervalued. If large amounts of doctors, relatively new to the NHS are already considering leaving, the NHS is staring down a crisis of retention. Early attrition on this scale jeopardises not only the stability of the workforce, but also the quality and safety of patient care across the entire system.
“It comes at a time when waiting lists are already extremely high and people are having to wait longer for the care they require. It’s clear from these survey results that addressing the fundamental issue of pay is vitally important.”
Professor Katherine Woolf, co-lead author of the study from UCL Medical School, said: “High levels of intentions to leave among staff are an important indicator of significant workforce problems, which may include issues such as rota gaps and staff feeling overstretched, demotivated and demoralised, all of which can impact patients.
“The government’s 10-year NHS plan is focused on improving experience and career progression for staff, which is a welcome step in the right direction towards retaining staff. But the results of our research suggest that while pay is not the only solution, it needs to be part of the solution for staff retention.”“We hope this evidence can contribute to constructive and informed dialogue between government, unions, NHS leaders, and professional bodies, to benefit staff and patients alike.”