"The future of the health service depends on these workers."
The NHS is losing many of its youngest staff as Gen Z workers become increasingly unhappy, a new analysis suggests.
In the ten years up to 2023, stress levels among clinical staff aged 21 to 30 rose by 14%.
More than half (52%) in 2023 said work-related stress made them unwell in the previous year.
In 2013, that figure was 38%. The number of NHS staff in England aged 21 to 30 unhappy with their pay also rose from 10% to 22%.
Older staff saw a smaller increase. In 2013, 11% were unhappy with pay, compared to 12% in 2023.
Analysts say the NHS depends on its young workforce, but a Nuffield Trust report warns these workers are becoming more stressed and unhappy in the early years of their careers.
Experts examined ten years of data from the NHS Staff Survey, an annual poll of health workers.
Thea Stein, Nuffield Trust chief executive, said:
“Our analysis of the NHS Staff Survey drills down into the responses of more than a million staff over 20 years, revealing how the experiences of workers of different ages vary over time.
“The traditionally tough start faced by the youngest staff has got even tougher over the past decade, with Gen Z NHS workers now having to manage exams, early career demands and learning the job in potentially overstretched services alongside escalating cost of living pressures.
“Our findings raise real concerns around the NHS’ ability to retain its youngest workers, who are just at the start of their careers but are increasingly unhappy.
“The future of the health service depends on these workers.
“It is vital policy-makers and employers now act on what the NHS’s own staff poll shows us about what the next generation of clinicians need to stay and thrive in the NHS.”
The report found 15% of staff aged 21 to 30 did not look forward to work in 2023, up from 12% in 2013.
The proportion of 21 to 30-year-olds who said they did not feel enthusiastic about work rose from 4% in 2013 to 7% in 2023. For staff aged 51 to 65, this figure remained at 6%.
The findings come as NHS officials announced a review of resident doctor training.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, and Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, will lead the review.
It aims to address concerns raised by resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors.
During the recent dispute between resident doctors and the government, which led to multiple strikes, concerns were raised over how doctors are treated during training.
Commenting on the survey analysis, Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said the findings “are a ticking time bomb for the NHS”, adding:
“A new nurse today is likely to face extreme pressure in severely understaffed services, with stagnant pay and little prospect of progression.
“In these conditions, it is little wonder so many feel undervalued and overworked.
“The number of people leaving within the first years of their career has skyrocketed, while applications to study nursing are in collapse.
“Ministers need to realise you cannot fix a broken NHS without making nursing a more attractive career.”
An NHS England spokesperson said: “NHS organisations have done a huge amount to improve the working environment for staff over the past couple of years and our staff retention levels are among the highest in over a decade – with a reduction in sickness and absence rates and an improvement in productivity.
“The NHS is fully committed to ensuring staff get the support they need, and the health service is now offering more flexible working options than ever before, as well as a range of mental health support available for staff, including access to coaching and wellbeing resources.”
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