Workforce Crisis: Recruitment, Retention, and Wellbeing of NHS Staff

Samir is a public sector recruitment, workforce and DE&I expert and has worked in SaaS and HCM for over 20 years. He is passionate about innovating and pushing more of the diversity agenda into everyday recruitment using more big data and automation.

In recent years, Samir’s focus has been on the NHS, supporting Trusts to shape and get the absolute best out of their recruitment strategies and meet their recruitment and workforce goals. He understands the challenges NHS Trusts and organisations are facing when it comes to areas such as DE&I, talent shortages and the rate at which roles need to be filled, to name but a few.

As well as being a keen freerunner, Samir has an interest in psychology, looking at why people do what they do and how they make decisions. He has taken this passion and helped evolve Oleeo’s recruitment technology offering.

Kate has over 30 years of professional experience working across public and private sectors in a range of strategic OD, HR, change and consultancy roles.

Kate holds an MSc in Occupational Psychology, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Neurodiversity Coaching, is a Chartered Member of CIPD, has an ILM7 Certificate in Coaching & Mentoring, and a BSc Hons in Mathematics & Psychology.

Her diverse career includes six years in international management consultancy, working with BT on global reward and performance strategic change programmes, leading learning and development and assessment work at Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue, working in strategic HR business partnering in higher education, running a consultancy business, including supporting women in leadership, and working in a fast-growing and changing EdTec startup.

Since 2021 Kate has been working in NHS England, leading programmes of work in the NHS to improve Staff Experience and Retention across the SW region. Her work has included leading the roll-out of the People Promise Exemplar programme across 17 NHS organisations, working to increase the numbers of people that feel compassionately led and included, safe and healthy, recognised and rewarded and have a voice that counts. She also led the delivery of the SW work to reduce nursing attrition as part of the 50,000 additional nurses programme, partnering with clinical colleagues and teams across the region.

She is also passionate about supporting neurodivergent colleagues to thrive in the workplace and loves coaching colleagues from all backgrounds and all levels to help them meet personal and professional goals and extend their impact.

Kate lives in East Devon with her family and loves nothing more reading a good book or a long hike out around the coast or on the moors with her fox red labrador, Lyra.

Dr Andrew Weyman , Reader, Department of Psychology, University of Bath.- Specialism human factors and the psychology of risk in work organisations. 40years experience in systems approaches to workplace health, safety and well-being. He led ESRC/NHS England funded research: ‘Should I stay or should I go? NHS staff retention in the post COVID-19 world (2020-24). Other NHS specific activity includes implications of the rise in pension age for staff health well-being and retention (MRC and NHS Working Longer Evidence Review). As a Principal Scientist at the Health and Safety Executive (1992-2006) he was an advisor to the HSE’s Health Sector Programme.  He was also member of advisory committee for the NICE guidance Workplace health: management practices (2015).

Elaine Pope is Associate Director of Organisational Development at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, where she leads work to strengthen culture, leadership and staff experience. With a career spanning the NHS, local government and the voluntary sector, Elaine brings a wealth of experience in driving collaborative change and developing people and organisations to deliver meaningful impact for communities.

She is passionate about the role of health and care organisations as anchor institutions, shaping opportunities that extend beyond healthcare to improve the wider social and economic wellbeing of local populations. Alongside her Trust role, Elaine chairs the Buckinghamshire Cornerstone Employer group, championing employer engagement with schools and colleges to raise aspirations and widen access to careers. She is also Faculty Lead (Faculty of Organisational Development and Leadership) for the Buckinghamshire Health and Social Care Academy, supporting system-wide development of future leaders.

The work of her team has also been recognised nationally, with the BrigHT Futures programme at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust selected as a Regional Champion in the Valuing Our People category at the inaugural NHS Excellence Awards, reflecting its impact in connecting workforce development with community engagement and future talent pipelines.

Elaine’s work is driven by her belief that inclusive leadership, collaboration and community partnerships are essential to creating healthier places and stronger futures.

Currently Head of Staff Experience and Engagement at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), Jane Keep is an experienced Organisational Development Professional specialising in Executive and Board Development, Leadership Development, Team and Individual Coaching, Staff Engagement, and Health, Wellbeing and Resilience for Leaders and Staff, and Organisational Change.

Jane has worked with the NHS for 46 years including as Head of Organisational Development in two large acute NHS Foundation Trusts, working to board level, in addition to undertaking 26 years of freelance projects/short term/interim contracts in the NHS. She has worked extensively with boards, Non-Executive and Executive Development. Jane has worked in all NHS settings, acute, primary care, specialist hospitals, at strategic and at a national Level where she was a national advisor (sub-contractor) in the Department of Health, a researcher for the Kings Fund, and policy lead for the NHS Confederation. Jane has also worked with parliamentary select committees, as well as working with healthcare professionals in Hong Kong, Kenya and Europe.  Jane has an MSC in Organisational Development, a Diploma in coaching, and a PhD in Health and wellbeing at work.

Jane has for the last 7 years worked as a visiting Associate Professor at London South Bank University in the health systems innovation lab within the school of health and social care and previously worked as a fellow and senior fellow at Birmingham University and worked on delivering leadership and organisational development programmes at Leeds University.

Vanessa Coelho is a senior nursing leader and leadership development specialist with a passion for advancing nursing leadership through an intersectional and organisational lens. She is Head of Nursing Leadership at the Royal College of Nursing, where she leads national programmes to strengthen leadership capability and influence across the profession. Her background spans acute and integrated care, higher education and workforce development, bringing together clinical, academic and strategic expertise. Vanessa holds an Executive MBA and MSc in Healthcare Management and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is passionate about compassionate, inclusive leadership and creating environments where nurses can thrive, lead with confidence and drive meaningful, system-wide change.

Bertha Bernasko Asante is a Clinical Practice Nurse Educator, author, and healthcare quality improvement leader with over 30 years of nursing experience across Ghana and the UK, including 23 years in the NHS. She holds an MSc in Healthcare Leadership, earning an excellent write-up in Emotional Intelligence, an Advanced Diploma in Perioperative Nursing, and a PGCE in Professional Academic Practice, gaining Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

A trusted Professional Nurse Advocate, Bertha provides restorative clinical supervision and champions staff wellbeing and pastoral support, particularly for the international workforce. She also serves in the Christian Healthcare Professionals Network (CHPNet), connecting, mentoring, and supporting staff through education and community engagement.

Bertha is the author of The Professional Progression Pathway (PPP) and founder of initiatives supporting professional integration, cultural adaptation, OSCE readiness, and leadership development. She also created the Quality Care Compass Framework to guide organisations in CQC preparation.

She is passionate about building a resilient, skilled, and future-ready NHS workforce through education, leadership, emotional intelligence, and change management.