ReviewBMJ open2023
Realist synthesis of factors affecting retention of staff in UK adult mental health services.
Review in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Turnover Intention and Its Relationship With Work-Related Factors Among Nurses in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of nursing management · 2026Article
- Methods of Engaging Interest-Holders in Healthcare Evidence Syntheses: A Scoping Review.Cochrane evidence synthesis and methods · 2026Review
- AI-driven mental health decision support linked to clinician resilience and preparedness.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Supporting and Retaining NHS England Staff with Long-Term Health Conditions-A Qualitative Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- What factors influence the retention of workers in NHS mental health crisis services in England? A reflexive thematic analysis.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Extended reality and healthcare practitioner well-being: scoping review.BJPsych open · 2025Review
- Realist evaluation of factors affecting the retention of the mental health workforce: building a realist programme theory.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Article
- Factors affecting retention of occupational therapists in adult mental health service: A systematic review with narrative synthesis.The British journal of occupational therapy · 2025Review
- What are the lived career experiences of senior operating department practitioners? An interpretative phenomenological analysis.Journal of perioperative practiceArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe shortage of healthcare staff is a global problem. UK mental health services have, on average, a higher turnover of staff than the NHS. Factors affecting retention of this staff group need to be explored in more depth to understand what is working for whom, for what reasons and in what circumstances. This review aims to conduct a realist synthesis to explore evidence from published studies, together with stakeholder involvement to develop programme theories that hypothesise how and why retention occurs in the mental health workforce and identify additional evidence to explore and test these theories thereby highlighting any persistent gaps in understanding. This paper develops programme theories that hypothesise why retention occurs and in what context and tests these theories thereby highlighting any persistent gaps in understanding.
methodsRealist synthesis was used to develop programme theories for factors affecting retention of UK mental health staff. This involved: (1) stakeholder consultation and literature scoping to develop initial programme theories; (2) structured searches across six databases to identify 85 included relevant literature relating to the programme theories; and (3) analysis and synthesis to build and refine a final programme theory and logic model.
resultsPhase I combined findings from 32 stakeholders and 24 publications to develop six initial programme theories. Phases II and III identified and synthesised evidence from 88 publications into three overarching programme theories stemming from organisational culture: interconnectedness of workload and quality of care, investment in staff support and development and involvement of staff and service users in policies and practice.
conclusionsOrganisational culture was found to have a key underpinning effect on retention of mental health staff. This can be modified but staff need to be well supported and feel involved to derive satisfaction from their roles. Manageable workloads and being able to deliver good quality care were also key.
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Registered trials
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