Project to stop staff leaving Lancashire's NHS wins award

NHS trusts nationally have struggled to keep staff for a variety of reasons and with a shortage of doctors, nurses and other health specialists, staffing has become a serious issue.

So the five NHS hospital trusts in Lancashire and South Cumbria are working together to make it easier for staff to move between roles across the region.

The It’s Your Move team works with the trusts to help identify suitable job moves for staff within the area. The project was recognised in the NHS National Retention Awards, in the category Best Flexible Working Offer to Support Work-Life Balance.

Paula Roles, human resources leader at Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System said: “It’s Your Move can make a difference by supporting staff who may need to work more flexibly, for instance by making changes to their contracted hours or work patterns.”

“If requests for such changes cannot be accommodated within their current role or team, some employees may begin to look for alternative employment.

“It’s Your Move can help identify alternative posts either within the current employer or the other local NHS trusts, which ensures skills are retained within the local healthcare system.”

“We are grateful for the support from the Lancashire and South Cumbria Social Partnership Forum, and for backing our award entry.”

It’s Your Move launched in July 2019, thanks to funding by the Local Workforce Action Board.

Karen Partington, chief executive for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chairman of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Local Workforce Action Board, said: “It’s Your Move makes it easier for staff to move between roles and improves the retention of our fantastic staff across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

“By helping staff to stay in their current role or within the local system, the service has achieved a return on investment of £738,000 so far.

“The next step is to extend It’s Your Move to include primary care and social care.”