Health and Social Care Workforce Research Study
This infographic, illustrating findings from Phase 3, is available to download, as are infographics from Phases 1 and 5 (see under Outputs, below).
Introduction
This study focuses on mental well-being, quality of working life, burnout and coping strategies in nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social care workers and social workers from across the UK, with the aim of providing evidence-based recommendations for supporting the workforce not just during COVID-19, but also during business-as-usual times.
Prof Jill Manthorpe, Director of the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce at King's, is a co-investigator on this collaborative research project.
The project is led by Ulster University (Dr Paula McFadden is Principal Investigator) and, in addition to Prof Manthorpe, is supported by researchers from Queen's University Belfast and Bath Spa University (see below).
Methods
The study has conducted six online surveys (May-July 2020; November 2020-January 2021; May-July 2021; November 2021-February 2022; May-July 2022; November 2022-January 2023).
These surveys have been supplemented by a series of focus groups with two groups: 1. Managers, employers and regulators of nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social care workers and social workers; 2. Frontline workers – nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social care workers and social workers.
Funding
The study has received funding from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, and the NIHR Policy Research Programme grant to the NIHR PRU in Health and Social Care Workforce (King's College London), and the Public Health Agency HSC R&D Division.
The research has also received support from Community Care, Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association and others.
Publications
The study has published reports (and executive summaries) from each of the six online surveys and several articles in peer-reviewed journals (all open access) as well as a book chapter. See below, under Outputs.
Publications
Chapter
Paula McFadden, Ruth Neill and Jill Manthorpe (2023) 'UK Social Worker Burnout and Coping during the First Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic', in (Eds.) Timo Harrikari, Joseph Mooney, Malathi Adusumalli, Paula McFadden, Tuomas Leppiaho, Social Work During COVID-19: Global Perspectives and Implications for the Future of Social Work, Abingdon: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003374374-7
Reports
On social workers
McFadden, P., MacLochlainn, J., Manthorpe, J., Schroder, H., Currie, D., McGrory, S., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., Naylor, R., & Mallett, J. (2023) Social Workers well-being, quality of working life and coping while working during and post-pandemic: Main findings from the UK and Northern Ireland Surveys, Belfast: University of Ulster Press.
Phase 6
McFadden, P., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., Ross, J., Naylor, R., Davies, H., Moriarty, J., & MacLochlainn, J. (2023). Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey and Focus Groups Phase 6: 25th November 2022 – 13th January 2023. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary] [see also summary on the Unit blog]
Phase 5
Gillen, P., McFadden, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2022) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and copingwhile working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey & Focus Groups. Phase 5: 16th May 2022 – 8th July 2022. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Phase 4
Gillen, P., McFadden, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2022) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey. Phase 4: 24th November 2021 – 4th February 2022. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary]
Phase 3
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2021) Health and social care workers' quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Phase 3 10th May 2021-2nd July 2021: Findings from a UK Survey. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Phase 2
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McFadden, D., & Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey Phase 2: 17th November 2020 – 1st February 2021. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary]
Phase 1
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Harron, J., & Currie, D. (2020) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic 7th May – 3rd July 2020: findings from a UK Survey. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Jermaine M Ravalier, Paula McFadden, Patricia Gillen, John Mallett, Patricia Nicholl, Ruth Neill, Jill Manthorpe, John Moriarty, Heike Schroder, Denise Curry, (2022) Working Conditions and Well-Being across the COVID Pandemic in UK Social (Care) Workers, The British Journal of Social Work.
Neill RD, Gillen P, Moriarty J, Manthorpe J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Currie D, Nicholl P, Ravalier J, McGrory S, McFadden P. (2022) Comparing Psychological Wellbeing and Work-Related Quality of Life between Professional Groups within Health and Social Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK. Merits, 2(4):374-386.
Neill RD, Wake J, Ohwa M, Manthorpe J, Gillen P, McFadden P. (2022) Comparing the Mental Wellbeing and Quality of Working Life among Nurses and Social Care Workers in the UK and Japan in Older Adults’ Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psych, 4(4): 843-855.
McGrory S, Neill RD, Gillen P, McFadden P, Manthorpe J, Ravalier J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Currie D, Moriarty J, Nicholl P. (2022) Self-Reported Experiences of Midwives Working in the UK across Three Phases during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(20):13000.
Gillen P, Neill RD, Mallett J, Moriarty J, Manthorpe J, Schroder H, et al. (2022) Wellbeing and coping of UK nurses, midwives and allied health professionals during COVID-19-a cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0274036.
Ravalier, J., McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Mallett, J., Nicholl, P., Neill, R., Manthorpe, J., Moriarty, J., Schroder, H., & Curry, D. (2022). Working conditions and well-being in UK social care and social work during COVID-19. Journal of Social Work.
Gillen P, Neill RD, Manthorpe J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Nicholl P, Currie D, Moriarty J, Ravalier J, McGrory S, McFadden P. (2022) Decreasing Wellbeing and Increasing Use of Negative Coping Strategies: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the UK Health and Social Care Workforce, Epidemiologia, 3(1):26-39.
McFadden, P., Neill, R., Mallett, J., Manthorpe, J., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Currie, D., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., & Ross, J. (2021) Mental wellbeing and quality of working life in UK social workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A propensity score matching study. British Journal of Social Work.
McFadden, P., Neill , R. D., Moriarty, J., Gillen, P., Mallett, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., McFadden, D., & Ross, J. (2021) A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Mental Wellbeing, Coping and Quality of Working Life in Health and Social Care Workers in the UK at Two Time Points of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Epidemiologia, 2(3), 227-242.
McFadden, P., Ross, J., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Harron, J., & Gillen, P. (2021) The Role of Coping in the Wellbeing and Work-Related Quality of Life of UK Health and Social Care Workers during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 1-15.
Manthorpe, J., Iliffe, S., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Currie, D., Ravalier, J., & McFadden, P. (2021) Clapping for carers in the Covid-19 crisis: Carers' reflections in a UK survey. Health and Social Care in the Community.
McFadden, P.; Gillen, P.; Moriarty, J.; Mallett, J.; Schroder, H.; Ravalier, J.; Manthorpe, J.; Harron, J.; Currie, D.; Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Analysis of positive coping and work-related quality of life as resilience and protective factors impacting on wellbeing., in Proceedings of the 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health —Public Health Issues in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic, 11–25 January 2021, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland, doi:10.3390/ECERPH-3-09011
Conferences
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Harron, J., Currie, D., & Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Analysis of positive coping and work-related quality of life as resilience and protective factors impacting on wellbeing. In The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health — Public Health Issues in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic session Occupational Safety and Health. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI).
News
Midwives' quality of working life during the pandemic – article
New paper reports qualitative data from the Health and Social Care Workforce Research Study
Report finds evidence of ongoing stress and burnout in the health and social care workforce
Survey and focus group data from summer 2022 also show an increase in negative coping strategies
Publications
Chapter
Paula McFadden, Ruth Neill and Jill Manthorpe (2023) 'UK Social Worker Burnout and Coping during the First Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic', in (Eds.) Timo Harrikari, Joseph Mooney, Malathi Adusumalli, Paula McFadden, Tuomas Leppiaho, Social Work During COVID-19: Global Perspectives and Implications for the Future of Social Work, Abingdon: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003374374-7
Reports
On social workers
McFadden, P., MacLochlainn, J., Manthorpe, J., Schroder, H., Currie, D., McGrory, S., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., Naylor, R., & Mallett, J. (2023) Social Workers well-being, quality of working life and coping while working during and post-pandemic: Main findings from the UK and Northern Ireland Surveys, Belfast: University of Ulster Press.
Phase 6
McFadden, P., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., Ross, J., Naylor, R., Davies, H., Moriarty, J., & MacLochlainn, J. (2023). Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey and Focus Groups Phase 6: 25th November 2022 – 13th January 2023. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary] [see also summary on the Unit blog]
Phase 5
Gillen, P., McFadden, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2022) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and copingwhile working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey & Focus Groups. Phase 5: 16th May 2022 – 8th July 2022. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Phase 4
Gillen, P., McFadden, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2022) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey. Phase 4: 24th November 2021 – 4th February 2022. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary]
Phase 3
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McGrory, S., & Neill, R. (2021) Health and social care workers' quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Phase 3 10th May 2021-2nd July 2021: Findings from a UK Survey. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Phase 2
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Nicholl, P., McFadden, D., & Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID19 pandemic: Findings from a UK Survey Phase 2: 17th November 2020 – 1st February 2021. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary]
Phase 1
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Harron, J., & Currie, D. (2020) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the COVID-19 pandemic 7th May – 3rd July 2020: findings from a UK Survey. University of Ulster Press. [Executive Summary; Infographic]
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Jermaine M Ravalier, Paula McFadden, Patricia Gillen, John Mallett, Patricia Nicholl, Ruth Neill, Jill Manthorpe, John Moriarty, Heike Schroder, Denise Curry, (2022) Working Conditions and Well-Being across the COVID Pandemic in UK Social (Care) Workers, The British Journal of Social Work.
Neill RD, Gillen P, Moriarty J, Manthorpe J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Currie D, Nicholl P, Ravalier J, McGrory S, McFadden P. (2022) Comparing Psychological Wellbeing and Work-Related Quality of Life between Professional Groups within Health and Social Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK. Merits, 2(4):374-386.
Neill RD, Wake J, Ohwa M, Manthorpe J, Gillen P, McFadden P. (2022) Comparing the Mental Wellbeing and Quality of Working Life among Nurses and Social Care Workers in the UK and Japan in Older Adults’ Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psych, 4(4): 843-855.
McGrory S, Neill RD, Gillen P, McFadden P, Manthorpe J, Ravalier J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Currie D, Moriarty J, Nicholl P. (2022) Self-Reported Experiences of Midwives Working in the UK across Three Phases during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(20):13000.
Gillen P, Neill RD, Mallett J, Moriarty J, Manthorpe J, Schroder H, et al. (2022) Wellbeing and coping of UK nurses, midwives and allied health professionals during COVID-19-a cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0274036.
Ravalier, J., McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Mallett, J., Nicholl, P., Neill, R., Manthorpe, J., Moriarty, J., Schroder, H., & Curry, D. (2022). Working conditions and well-being in UK social care and social work during COVID-19. Journal of Social Work.
Gillen P, Neill RD, Manthorpe J, Mallett J, Schroder H, Nicholl P, Currie D, Moriarty J, Ravalier J, McGrory S, McFadden P. (2022) Decreasing Wellbeing and Increasing Use of Negative Coping Strategies: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the UK Health and Social Care Workforce, Epidemiologia, 3(1):26-39.
McFadden, P., Neill, R., Mallett, J., Manthorpe, J., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Currie, D., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., & Ross, J. (2021) Mental wellbeing and quality of working life in UK social workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A propensity score matching study. British Journal of Social Work.
McFadden, P., Neill , R. D., Moriarty, J., Gillen, P., Mallett, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Nicholl, P., McFadden, D., & Ross, J. (2021) A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Mental Wellbeing, Coping and Quality of Working Life in Health and Social Care Workers in the UK at Two Time Points of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Epidemiologia, 2(3), 227-242.
McFadden, P., Ross, J., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Currie, D., Harron, J., & Gillen, P. (2021) The Role of Coping in the Wellbeing and Work-Related Quality of Life of UK Health and Social Care Workers during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 1-15.
Manthorpe, J., Iliffe, S., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Currie, D., Ravalier, J., & McFadden, P. (2021) Clapping for carers in the Covid-19 crisis: Carers' reflections in a UK survey. Health and Social Care in the Community.
McFadden, P.; Gillen, P.; Moriarty, J.; Mallett, J.; Schroder, H.; Ravalier, J.; Manthorpe, J.; Harron, J.; Currie, D.; Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Analysis of positive coping and work-related quality of life as resilience and protective factors impacting on wellbeing., in Proceedings of the 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health —Public Health Issues in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic, 11–25 January 2021, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland, doi:10.3390/ECERPH-3-09011
Conferences
McFadden, P., Gillen, P., Moriarty, J., Mallett, J., Schroder, H., Ravalier, J., Manthorpe, J., Harron, J., Currie, D., & Ross, J. (2021) Health and social care workers’ quality of working life and coping while working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Analysis of positive coping and work-related quality of life as resilience and protective factors impacting on wellbeing. In The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health — Public Health Issues in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic session Occupational Safety and Health. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI).
News
Midwives' quality of working life during the pandemic – article
New paper reports qualitative data from the Health and Social Care Workforce Research Study
Report finds evidence of ongoing stress and burnout in the health and social care workforce
Survey and focus group data from summer 2022 also show an increase in negative coping strategies
Our Partners
