Retention/Attrition of MidwivesNCT05686824
Midwifery Retention Project
An observational study of Retention/Attrition of Midwives, run by King's College London at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The NHS is experiencing a significant workforce crisis across the service; with currently >130, 000 vacancies, therefore, national efforts to improve recruitment and retention are a priority. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Retention/Attrition of Midwives
- How many people
- 70 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2023to 31 Jul 2023
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Midwives and student midwives
Who may be able to join
- employed midwives at Torbay Hospital.
- student midwives on placement at Torbay Hospital.
Who cannot join
- Midwives or student midwives not working/placed at Torbay Hospital.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Exploring the Attrition and Retention of Midwifery Professionals and Identifying Lessons for the Future: an Organisational Case Study
The NHS is experiencing a significant workforce crisis across the service; with currently >130, 000 vacancies, therefore, national efforts to improve recruitment and retention are a priority. In maternity services, there are currently 2,500 WTE midwife vacancies and over three-quarters of Heads of Midwifery cite it is 'increasingly difficult' to fill these vacancies . A vital component of a sustainable workforce and safe maternity care is retaining newly qualified midwives (where attrition is currently high) and experienced midwives already working within the service. However, data repeatedly demonstrate dissatisfaction and intentions to leave the midwifery profession. Recognising the importance of retention, NSHEI allocated a one-off lump sum of £50,000 to each hospital Trust to specifically employ midwives to support retention efforts. However, to date, research has not captured contemporary midwifery attrition and retention insights with this role in place. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to capture, analyse and disseminate localised data from one NHS Trust to inform future local, regional and national retention projects. Specifically, this study aims to explore the views of midwives and student midwives at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust regarding intentions to stay or leave either their current workplace and/or the profession. These subtle but salient differences are important as some may prefer to work elsewhere but remain in midwifery, conversely, others may be satisfied with their workplace but intend to leave the profession. We will also gather insights regarding the retention midwife role, their work to date and potential impact. We will gather the data via documentary review, a survey aimed at midwives and student midwives and 10-15 individual interviews. Using these insights, we will identify recommendations for the local, regional and national workstreams to inform future retention work.
Read the detailed description
The broad purpose of this study is to generate insights regarding the attrition and retention of midwives within a specific organisation (Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust) to inform future staffing retention quality improvement projects, locally and nationally.
A single case study approach is the chosen methodology for this research. This is an appropriate approach as it seeks to 'investigate contemporary phenomena within its real-life context' and to generate in-depth and multi-faceted understandings (explaining, describing or exploring) of complex issues within a naturalistic context; which in this study, relates to the attrition and retention of midwives employed by a specific Trust. While these issues are not unique to this Trust, therefore, is not an intrinsic case study, their willingness to explore these issues means an 'instrumental' case study will facilitate 'a broader appreciation of [the] issue or phenomenon'.
This case study is focused on midwifery retention and recruitment, as such, eligible participants will be all midwives currently employed within the Trust. For those on maternity or sick leave but wish to participate, they too will be eligible. Additionally, we will include student midwives currently placed within Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. All student midwives will be eligible to participate in the survey but only 3rd year midwives will be eligible for an interview.
Recruitment will consist of purposive and snowball methods via the retention midwife leads, internal social media, internal work emails and adverts placed within the Trust. Adverts will include information about the interview option (midwives and 3rd year student midwives only) and the survey which will include a link and/or QR code to the survey for instant access (all midwives and student midwives eligible).
Informed consent for the survey will be obtained via the first page of the Qualtrics survey whereby all appropriate information regarding the study and how the data will be stored and used will be stated. Participants will be able to opt in to complete the survey or opt out by simply closing the survey. Participants will be advised they will not be able to withdraw from the study after submitting their responses as the data is anonymised, we will not be able to accurately delete their information.
Informed consent for the online interview will be obtained at the start of the meeting, prior to any demographic or interview questions. It is expected that the participant information sheet will have been read prior to the interview as this will be sent out during an initial inquiry contact. At the start of the interview, the researchers will check whether the participants have questions or queries that need to be clarified. The consent form will be carried out 'virtually' together, with the researcher sharing the screen, asking each question and signing on behalf of the participant, and this will be recorded. Participants will be advised that they can stop the interview at any time and have the right to withdraw their data within two weeks of the interview (prior to analysis starting).
We don't foresee particular risks to this research, although we have considered:
Ethical considerations during recruitment relates to maintaining confidentiality for some participants may not wish to disclose their participation to their wider teams. Therefore, to mitigate against this, the recruitment emails and adverts will include, either a direct link/QR code the survey and the researchers direct contact details to arrange interviews. This way, no one outside of the research team will be aware of who has participated, nor will this information be disclosed.
Ethical considerations during the interview relate to two possibilities: a) if a participant becomes distressed during the interview, the researcher will offer to stop the interview immediately and offer a referral to their Professional Midwifery Advocate; b) should the participant, a registered health professional, reveal dangerous or illegal practice, the interview will be stopped, and they will be advised a referral to their senior leaders made. The latter possibility is highly unlikely.
Survey confidentiality will be maintained as it will be anonymous. Interview recordings, once downloaded will have a pseudonym applied and the recording deleted. Following transcription, the manuscripts any identifying features (names, places, personal details) will be removed prior to analysis.
- Conditions
- Retention/Attrition of Midwives
- Keywords
- retention, attrition, midwifery, workforce, NHS
- Medical subject headings
- Tooth Wear, Nance-Horan syndrome
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Midwives and student midwives at one Trust | No intervention - this is an exploratory case study |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Survey
To explore midwives and student midwives views on leaving or staying within their workplace and/or the profession.
Measured: 2 weeks
Interview
Follow up questions to explore midwives intentions to leave or stay within their hospital Trust and/or profession.
Measured: 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Jan 2023
- Study start1 Apr 2023
- Primary completion31 Jul 2023
- Study completion31 Jul 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Retention/Attrition of MidwivesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- King's College London
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- NHS Devon ICB
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Dr Feeley, PhD, Principal investigator, King's College London
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05686824
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRAS 321453
- Status last verified
- Mar 2024
- First submitted
- 6 Jan 2023
- Last updated
- 20 Mar 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Mar 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Exploring the Attrition and Retention of Midwifery Professionals and Identifying Lessons for the Future: an Organisational Case Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05686824
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRAS 321453
- Conditions
- Retention/Attrition of Midwives
- Keywords
- retention, attrition, midwifery, workforce, NHS
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- King's College LondonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- NHS Devon ICB
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The NHS is experiencing a significant workforce crisis across the service; with currently >130, 000 vacancies, therefore, national efforts to improve recruitment and retention are a priority. In maternity services, there are currently 2,500 WTE midwife vacancies and over three-quarters of Heads of Midwifery cite it is 'increasingly difficult' to fill these vacancies . A vital component of a sustainable workforce and safe maternity care is retaining newly qualified midwives (where attrition is currently high) and experienced midwives already working within the service. However, data repeatedly demonstrate dissatisfaction and intentions to leave the midwifery profession. Recognising the importance of retention, NSHEI allocated a one-off lump sum of £50,000 to each hospital Trust to specifically employ midwives to support retention efforts. However, to date, research has not captured contemporary midwifery attrition and retention insights with this role in place. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to capture, analyse and disseminate localised data from one NHS Trust to inform future local, regional and national retention projects. Specifically, this study aims to explore the views of midwives and student midwives at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust regarding intentions to stay or leave either their current workplace and/or the profession. These subtle but salient differences are important as some may prefer to work elsewhere but remain in midwifery, conversely, others may be satisfied with their workplace but intend to leave the profession. We will also gather insights regarding the retention midwife role, their work to date and potential impact. We will gather the data via documentary review, a survey aimed at midwives and student midwives and 10-15 individual interviews. Using these insights, we will identify recommendations for the local, regional and national workstreams to inform future retention work.
Detailed description
The broad purpose of this study is to generate insights regarding the attrition and retention of midwives within a specific organisation (Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust) to inform future staffing retention quality improvement projects, locally and nationally.
A single case study approach is the chosen methodology for this research. This is an appropriate approach as it seeks to 'investigate contemporary phenomena within its real-life context' and to generate in-depth and multi-faceted understandings (explaining, describing or exploring) of complex issues within a naturalistic context; which in this study, relates to the attrition and retention of midwives employed by a specific Trust. While these issues are not unique to this Trust, therefore, is not an intrinsic case study, their willingness to explore these issues means an 'instrumental' case study will facilitate 'a broader appreciation of [the] issue or phenomenon'.
This case study is focused on midwifery retention and recruitment, as such, eligible participants will be all midwives currently employed within the Trust. For those on maternity or sick leave but wish to participate, they too will be eligible. Additionally, we will include student midwives currently placed within Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. All student midwives will be eligible to participate in the survey but only 3rd year midwives will be eligible for an interview.
Recruitment will consist of purposive and snowball methods via the retention midwife leads, internal social media, internal work emails and adverts placed within the Trust. Adverts will include information about the interview option (midwives and 3rd year student midwives only) and the survey which will include a link and/or QR code to the survey for instant access (all midwives and student midwives eligible).
Informed consent for the survey will be obtained via the first page of the Qualtrics survey whereby all appropriate information regarding the study and how the data will be stored and used will be stated. Participants will be able to opt in to complete the survey or opt out by simply closing the survey. Participants will be advised they will not be able to withdraw from the study after submitting their responses as the data is anonymised, we will not be able to accurately delete their information.
Informed consent for the online interview will be obtained at the start of the meeting, prior to any demographic or interview questions. It is expected that the participant information sheet will have been read prior to the interview as this will be sent out during an initial inquiry contact. At the start of the interview, the researchers will check whether the participants have questions or queries that need to be clarified. The consent form will be carried out 'virtually' together, with the researcher sharing the screen, asking each question and signing on behalf of the participant, and this will be recorded. Participants will be advised that they can stop the interview at any time and have the right to withdraw their data within two weeks of the interview (prior to analysis starting).
We don't foresee particular risks to this research, although we have considered:
Ethical considerations during recruitment relates to maintaining confidentiality for some participants may not wish to disclose their participation to their wider teams. Therefore, to mitigate against this, the recruitment emails and adverts will include, either a direct link/QR code the survey and the researchers direct contact details to arrange interviews. This way, no one outside of the research team will be aware of who has participated, nor will this information be disclosed.
Ethical considerations during the interview relate to two possibilities: a) if a participant becomes distressed during the interview, the researcher will offer to stop the interview immediately and offer a referral to their Professional Midwifery Advocate; b) should the participant, a registered health professional, reveal dangerous or illegal practice, the interview will be stopped, and they will be advised a referral to their senior leaders made. The latter possibility is highly unlikely.
Survey confidentiality will be maintained as it will be anonymous. Interview recordings, once downloaded will have a pseudonym applied and the recording deleted. Following transcription, the manuscripts any identifying features (names, places, personal details) will be removed prior to analysis.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Midwives and student midwives at one Trust | – | –No intervention - this is an exploratory case study |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Midwives and student midwives
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- employed midwives at Torbay Hospital.
- student midwives on placement at Torbay Hospital.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Midwives or student midwives not working/placed at Torbay Hospital.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Survey
Time frame: 2 weeks
To explore midwives and student midwives views on leaving or staying within their workplace and/or the profession.
Interview
Time frame: 6 weeks
Follow up questions to explore midwives intentions to leave or stay within their hospital Trust and/or profession.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Mar 2024.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Dr Feeley, PhD principal investigator
King's College London
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Retention/Attrition of Midwives, run by King's College London at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Mar 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Survey (time frame: 2 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Mar 2024.