20 Trusts that have the above average leaving rates for nurses and above average leaving rates for clinical staff will be introduced to a new NHS Improvement scheme to help improve retention.

The new programme, that will tackle the reasons why staff are leaving and attempt to change the attitudes to retention, has recently been introduced and will involve trust chief nurses taking part in masterclasses that will concentrate on making a change in retention figures. These classes will also help with analysis on staff surveys and will also act as an ‘engagement tool’ to aid trusts in understanding the reasons behind staff leaving.

In addition to the classes, there will also been an array of support materials available for the selected trusts, including webinars, online guidance and other materials.

The project will be led by the NHS Improvement’s executive director Ruth May, and over the coming months, she will be visiting the trusts, along with her team, to understand specific problems as well as coming up with a personalised plan moving forward.

“We now have an opportunity to provide trusts with tailored support to persuade staff to stay in the NHS. It’s the right thing to do and it’s a real priority for me,” said Ms May.

“We know there is no magic bullet or formula for getting this absolutely right and it is not all down to retention, but we have a major part to play in supporting all of our staff and making sure we can keep them,” she said.

The plans were initially revealed last year by Nursing Times after an interview with Ms May.

See the full Nursing Times article here.