Nearly one in five (18%) flexible health and social care workers in the UK expect to leave the sector in the next two years, according to research from the Acacium Group.

The report defines these flexible workers are those who are taking on agency work via a private provider.

In the report, 24% of workers reported feeling ‘overstretched’ by their workload. Key reasons why some healthcare professionals are considering leaving the sector included concerns about working conditions, and the level of support from management.

Concerns were also raised about access to necessary tools with 27% flexible workers stating that they were dissatisfied with their ability to access patient records. At the same time, 17% also said they were unhappy with access to vital protective equipment.

Despite some frustrations and challenges, the report also paints a hopeful picture of staff experience as 83% said they were satisfied with the overall working environment. Over half (65%) also reported they were ‘extremely likely’ to remain in the sector for the next two years.

Acacium’s report also provides insights into why health and social care professionals choose to take on flexible work. A third of those surveyed (34%), reported flexibility as the main driver for taking on this type of work. A further 9% reported work-life balance and 8% reported family commitments as the primary reason for adopting flexible work.

Mike Barnard, CEO at Acacium Group, said, “The health and social care system depends on flexible workers to deliver essential services. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their permanent colleagues and are sometimes one and the same, with many full-time employees also engaging in flexible work.”

The report is based on data collected over the last three years, and from 10,901 flexible professionals. Acacium said 1,064 respondents took part in the 2024 survey. This includes professionals working across all 42 English Integrated Care Boards, Scottish and Welsh Health Boards, and the independent providers’ sector.